Abu Dhabi [UAE], May 14 (ANI): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE scheduled for May 15, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy has hailed the Prime Minister as a “true treasure” for the leadership and people of the Emirates, stating that the bilateral relationship is poised to scale “new mountain tops” in trade and technology.
Speaking with ANI, Al Hashimy expressed great excitement for the visit, noting that PM Modi remains a key figure of a longstanding partnership.
She said PM Modi’s visit tomorrow will take forward the regular high-level engagements between the two countries following the UAE President’s visit to India in January and the Crown Prince’s participation in the AI Summit in February.
Addressing the global energy landscape, the Minister referred to the situation concerning the Strait of Hormuz and said energy has been “weaponised”.
She said energy supply disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict have led to concerns in India and other parts of the world.
The UAE Minister noted that the UAE’s recent decision to exit OPEC was driven by a desire to act as a “responsible global player” by producing to its full potential during a time of supply challenges, an issue she confirmed would feature prominently in tomorrow’s bilateral conversations.
On the economic front, Al Hashimy highlighted that after surpassing the initial $100 billion trade objective set under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), “Team India and Team UAE” are now embarking on a target of $200 billion in trade.
The Minister concluded by emphasising that the partnership is now unlocking potential in frontier sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum and supercomputing, and infrastructure projects like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), remarking that whenever a pinnacle is reached, “there are more mountain tops to reach” with a partner like India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-nation tour from May 15 to 20. He will first visit the UAE followed by visit to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy. (ANI)
