New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on Friday to advance the bilateral ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’.

During his visit, PM Modi will meet the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, exchange views on bilateral issues and energy cooperation, and discuss ways to advance the bilateral relations.

“They will also discuss ways to advance the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership underpinned by strong political, cultural, economic and people-to-people links,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

“The visit will serve to promote the significant trade and investment linkages between the two countries,” it added.

Energy security will be one of the key focus areas during PM Modi’s visit, and two important MoUs in the areas of LPG and strategic petroleum reserves are likely to be concluded during it, according to official sources.

According to MEA, the UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and its seventh-largest source of investment cumulatively over the past 25 years. With the UAE hosting a strong Indian community of over 4.5 million, the visit will also be an opportunity to discuss their welfare.

Briefing the media, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, stated that the Prime Minister will embark on a six-day visit to the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy. For the second leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will visit the Netherlands. This will be the Prime Minister’s second visit to the Netherlands since 2017. During the visit, he will call on King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima and hold talks with Prime Minister Rob Jetten, George said.

For the third leg of the visit, PM Modi will travel to Sweden’s Gothenburg and hold bilateral talks with his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation to enhance bilateral trade.

The two Prime Ministers will also address the European Round Table for Industry, a leading pan-European business leaders’ forum, along with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

George further stated that during the fourth leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will reach Norway on Monday for the 3rd India-Nordic Summit and bilateral engagements.

In the final leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will be in Italy on Tuesday. During the visit, PM Modi will call on the President Sergio Mattarella and hold talks with Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

–IANS

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