It is the final day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to the UAE. The PM is scheduled to visit Mazdar high tech city on Monday before holding talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Thereafter, he will leave for Dubai to meet his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Modi is likely to bring up the issue of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in the bilateral talks in UAE on Monday. According to sources, the PM Modi may request for sharing of details on the underworld don in order to prosecute him for terror activities in India. He is also likely to push for building consensus on a united front against terror.
Before returning to India, Modi will address the Indian diaspora at the Dubai cricket stadium. The Indian community in the UAE is eagerly waiting to hear and cheer Modi at a Madison Square-like event that is expected to draw over 50,000 people.
Modi is the first Indian premier to visit the oil-rich Arab nation in 34 years. He will be accorded a rousing welcome by the community members at the reception to be held at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai Sports City. About 50,000 Indians have registered for Modi's public reception.
Several Indians living in Ajman, Umm Al Quwaiin and Ras Al Khaimah said that they are driving to Dubai to attend the event despite it being a working day. "He is the pride of our nation," Amit Soni, a resident of Dubai said.
Indian consul general Anurag Bhushan hoped that Modi's visit would be truly memorable. "I hope everyone will come with the national flag and celebrate in the spirit of our brother-hood," he said. Bhushan praised the efforts of the members of the Indian community in Dubai who are putting a lot of effort to make the event successful.
The Indian Consulate has planned a cultural show to welcome Modi during the reception.
Although the stadium has an expanded capacity of 30,000, the authorities have made arrangements to accommodate more by covering the ground. Huge television screens have been installed outside the stadium for those who would not be able to go inside.
The organisers have made elaborate arrangements to cool the stadium and the air-conditioning system will be switched on a day before to ensure the place is sufficiently cool on the day of the event, the report said.
Dubai temperatures are as high as 42 degrees Celsius and the humidity is almost 60 per cent in the evening. Shuttle services have been arranged to transport people to the stadium from nearest metro stations as well as from landmark points. Modi's address to the community would be made available in Malayalam and Telugu on FM channel. A website set up for the occasion has received an overwhelming response.
Although the DCA event is being organised on the lines of Modi's celebrated Madison Garden event, no entry fee will be charged from the audience. "The executives have done well for themselves. But it is the workers who need Modi's support and encouragement." Aditya Patel, a marketing professional, was quoted by Khaleej Times as saying.
"It's after a long time that we have an energetic and aggressive leader, and it is a matter of great pride," Patel said. Vaibhav Raisinghani, an MBA student, said, "I've been thinking of excuses on how to leave work early all week,". Some said that they are willing to skip work for a few hours because meeting Modi is a "once in a lifetime event".
"It is not like he comes to visit every few days. Maybe I might not see an Indian leader again in my lifetime. Why should I miss it," said Insiya Asghar, a resident of Sharjah. Another Sharjah resident Dolly Gir said: "I am coming to Dubai on Monday with a group of friends. I will be missing four hours of work on that day, but I don't mind. I won't get this opportunity again."
Modi is the second Indian prime minister after Indira Gandhi who visited the UAE in 1981. Indian expatriate community is the largest ethnic community in UAE constituting roughly about 30 per cent of the Gulf country's population.
The Indians in Dubai are hoping that Modi will make a good use of his foreign visits and see how governments around the world are creating humane living conditions for their citizens. "He should see how governments around the world are creating humane living conditions for their citizens and fostering environments that meets basic human needs," said Gunjan Chaurasia, a young Indian professional working in Dubai.
She said the Modi government should ensure that Indians get visa-on-arrival in more countries around the world.
With terror and investments high on his agenda for talks with the UAE leadership, Modi began his two-day trip to UAE on Sunday with a visit to the historic Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque, the world's third largest.
Within hours of his arrival in the UAE capital for the visit, Modi went around the mosque's 180,000 sq ft courtyard which has an exquisite floral design. It is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.
Soon after his arrival, Modi tweeted, "Hello UAE. I am very optimistic about this visit. I am confident the outcomes of the visit will boost India-UAE ties." He also tweeted the message in Arabic.
Ahead of his talks with the Emirati leadership on Monday, Modi said he wanted to see the UAE as India's foremost partner in trade and in countering terrorism, noting that both countries have a range of common security and strategic concerns in the region, including extremism.
"We have a range of common security and strategic concerns in the region, including terrorism and extremism. So India and UAE have everything to be a top priority for each other. This is the way I look at the UAE. The Gulf region is vital for India's economic, energy and security interests," he said in an interview to Khaleej Times.
Modi said he was keen to foster a strategic partnership, particularly in the security, energy and investment sectors, with the fastest growing Arab economy and its visionary and pragmatic leadership.
The PM on Sunday discussed investment opportunity over the dinner hosted by the Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor dished up a special vegetarian spread for the Prime Minister at the dinner hosted by Nahyan. "Star chef @SanjeevKapoor was flown in by UAE hosts for a special vegetarian menu in honour of PM @narendramodi," tweeted Swarup.
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