Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the largest traditional stone Hindu temple in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi yesterday during his visit to the United Arab Emirates, which began last Tuesday and lasted for two days.
This marked Modi’s third visit to the UAE within 8 months, expressing his happiness on his social media account about being part of this sacred moment.
According to Anadolu Agency, Indian media outlets reported a recorded speech by Modi during the temple’s inauguration, where he stated, “The United Arab Emirates has today inscribed a golden chapter in the history of humanity,” adding that this temple will inject new energy into the relations between India and the UAE.
The temple is located in the Abu Mureikha area near the highway linking the capital Abu Dhabi with the neighboring emirate of Dubai, which also inaugurated a Hindu temple last year. Indian media sources mention that the temple covers an area of 55,000 square meters, making it the largest stone-built Hindu temple in the Middle East.
The Indian community in the UAE is the largest expatriate community in the Gulf country. Relations between the two countries have gradually strengthened since Modi’s historic visit to the UAE in 2015, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in over 30 years.
The Reuters agency reported that tens of thousands of Indians gathered at a football stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday to cheer for Modi, who is seeking a third term. The number of Indians in the UAE is approximately 3.5 million, with the UAE being one of India’s biggest trade partners.
Since Modi assumed office as Prime Minister in 2014, there has been a rise in religious extremism, with the marginalization of Indian Muslims who account for 14% of the total population of over 1.042 billion people.
During the visit, India and the UAE signed several agreements, including a framework agreement for developing a maritime trade corridor and railways extending from India over the Arabian Sea to the UAE, through the Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, to Europe.
Indian Prime Minister arrived in Doha last night on his first visit to Qatar in 8 years. Upon arrival, he met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. According to Anadolu Agency, the meeting reviewed the friendly cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, particularly in the fields of energy, trade, and investment.
