UAE President to be the chief guest for Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit

The visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit highlights the strengthening of ties between the two countries. The signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on renewable energy, construction of food parks and healthcare indicates a commitment to collaboration in key areas of economic development and public welfare.

New Delhi: India's diplomatic might will be in the limelight as UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is all set to visit the country on January 9 as the chief guest of the most awaited Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which will kick off from January 8 to 10. This signifies that the India-UAE ties are reaching new heights and it is expected that the UAE President’s visit to India might also witness the signing of MoUs in sectors of renewable energy (solar, hydrogen and grid connectivity) and the construction of food parks, healthcare enhancing India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Ahmedabad on January 8 night and hold bilateral meetings with world leaders the next day. Officials said that heads of four countries, including UAE, Czech Republic, Mozambique and Timor-Leste would be arriving for the bilateral talks. On January 9, PM Modi will receive the President of UAE at the Ahmedabad Airport. Following this, the two leaders will begin a roadshow from the airport to Gandhi Ashram. The Vibrant Gujarat Summit will also be attended by UAE Minister of State for Trade Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and a full delegation business community from the Gulf nation.

The meetings will be held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, which will be followed by Modi’s interaction with CEOs of top global corporations. The PM will inaugurate the ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show’ on January 9. The show will see the participation from 20 countries, including Australia, Tanzania, Morocco, Mozambique, South Korea, Thailand, Estonia, Bangladesh, Singapore, UAE (United Arab Emirates), the UK, Germany, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Russia, Rwanda, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam. It is pertinent to note that the UAE-India Business Summit is also planned on the sidelines of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

It may be recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited UAE last year in a boost to the India-UAE relationship. During his visit, three MoUs were signed. The first MoU was signed to establish a framework to encourage the use of local currencies for cross-border transactions by the Governors of respective central banks, the second MoU pertained to the interlinking of payment and messaging systems and the third, plans were set in motion for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi in Abu Dhabi.

PM Modi is scheduled to visit the UAE to inaugurate the BAPS Hindu temple and attend a community event 'Ahlan Modi' at the Zayed Stadium. According to sources, the event will host over 1,000 exhibitors from the research sector, highlighting ongoing research and innovations across various fields. A total of 100 countries will participate in the trade show as visiting countries, while 33 countries will join as partners.

Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, conceptualised in 2003 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has evolved as one of the most reputed global forums for business networking, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships for inclusive growth and sustainable development. Driven by its inherent entrepreneurial spirit, Gujarat has taken significant strides in developing a resilient and vibrant economy over the past two decades and has emerged as one of India’s most industrialised and urbanised States.