News Analysis |
India’s Prime Minister Modi visited United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 10, 2018 and after delegation-level talks between PM Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Deputy Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces, they issued their joint statement.
It says, “Extremism and terrorism cannot be defeated by use of force.” They acknowledged the need for a holistic approach, which includes disrupting the use of web and social media for promotion of extremist and violent ideologies; preventing the use of religious centers to radicalize youth and recruit terrorist cadres; and promoting tolerance.
Indian Muslims are living in miserable conditions. Being a secular state India must have the same respect and freedom for Muslims, as it demands for Indian Hindus living around the world.
Moreover, both were committed to augment their bilateral cooperation further to promote regional security, peace and prosperity and agreed to further deepen collaborations on maritime security, including joint anti-piracy, training and exercises, cyber space and outer space. Both leaders showed their contentment on this cooperation in various fields of life such as areas of security, defence and space.
The UAE is home to wealthy Indian investors, some of whom run the country’s largest hospitals, schools and supermarkets. India’s growing international trade with the Gulf Countries increases the importance of protecting sea lanes from the Middle East. Since 2000, both Congress and BJP administrations of India have stated that the Middle East is strategically interrelated to South Asia. Moreover, India’s maritime doctrine of 2009 states that the Gulf and Arabian Sea are vital to India’s strategic interests which includes securing choke points.
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Additionally, India and the UAE are key trading partners and are seeking to boost investments. On Saturday, Modi and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan oversaw the signing of several agreements, including a $600 million deal awarded to a consortium of Indian companies for a 10 percent stake in a major Abu Dhabi offshore oil concession.
As China is also growing its influence in the Middle East, in one way or another India is counterbalancing China’s influence in that region. China’s entry furthers the Middle East’s strategic relevance to India.
This demonstrates that both countries renewed their commitment to work closely to strengthen maritime security in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean region which is vital for the security and prosperity of the respective countries.
During this visit, Modi attended the stone-laying ceremony for the first Hindu temple in the capital of the UAE on Sunday, which is home to over three million people of Indian origin. This is the first stone temple supposed be built in Abu Dhabi off Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway and it will be hand-carved by India’s temple artisans. It will cover up 55,000 square meters of land and will be completed by 2020.
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This will be the first Hindu stone temple in the Middle East (ME) to cost DH 400 million. Mukeshbhai Chaganlal Bhatt, who performs rituals for all BAPS (Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha is a worldwide religious and civic organization) temples across the world said,”It was shila and bhoomi pooja. We have nine shilas (stones) which represent the various powers. The entire temple will be built following the various shilas. It was after all this that we did bhoomi pooja and sought blessing for all.”
China’s entry furthers the Middle East’s strategic relevance to India. It drives Delhi to increase its own influence and avoid Beijing having leverage over its energy security and being encircled by Chinese allies.
There are multiple ethnicities residing in UAE including Indians, Pakistani, Bangladeshis, Pilipino, Sri Lankan and others. Relatively there is a much larger presence of Indians. India’s aspirations behind these ministerial visits in various Middle Eastern states; Jordan, Palestine and UAE demonstrate its growing influence in the Middle Eastern region to protect its national interests. India is a growing economy of Asia along with China.
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As China is also growing its influence in the Middle East, in one way or another India is counterbalancing China’s influence in that region. China’s entry furthers the Middle East’s strategic relevance to India. It drives Delhi to increase its own influence and avoid Beijing having leverage over its energy security and being encircled by Chinese allies.
On other hand, Modi was not bothered by BJP member of Parliament, Vinay Katiyar’s contentious statement that Muslims should not be living in India and that they should go to Pakistan or Bangladesh. Indian Muslims are living in miserable conditions. Being a secular state India must have the same respect and freedom for Muslims, as it demands for Indian Hindus living around the world.