Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE crown prince, arrived on Tuesday in Indian capital New Dehli as a chief guest to attend India’s January 26 Republic Day parade.
New Dehli: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received crown prince at airport breaking protocol. Modi gave Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan a warm hug, seen a signal of rising ties between UAE and India.
Al Nahyan, who is also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE armed forces, is expected to enhance corporation in security and trade with India.
During Modi’s last visit to UAE in 2015, both states condemned sponsorship of terrorism, including by states against other countries, or to use terrorism as instrument of state policy. India is taking serious efforts to isolate Pakistan internationally for allegedly sponsoring cross border terrorism. In this context, this visit has significance for Pakistan.
“It is also important given that UAE is a close ally of Pakistan, whom India is trying to diplomatically isolate over the issue of cross-border terrorism,” the Indian Express reported
Previously in April 2015, Pakistan refused UAE to partake in Yemen war. As a result, UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash slammed Pakistan’s decision and threatened for having to pay a ‘heavy price’.