Hyderabad: As 2024 proceeded, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on important visits to several foreign countries including the US, Russia, Ukraine, Italy and neighbouring country Bhutan.
As the year comes to an end, let us have a look at PM Modi's foreign visits and how they bolstered India's diplomatic relations with the respective countries.
UAE And Qatar; The Gulf Outreach
In his first foreign trip of 2024, PM Modi embarked on his visit to UAE on Feb 13-14 and Qatar on Feb 14-15, 2024.
During his UAE trip, which was his seventh to the Gulf country, PM Modi was received by the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport.
The two leaders held detailed delegation level and one-to-one talks, which covered the entire gamut of bilateral engagement between India and the UAE, as also the significant developments regionally, as also globally.
In a significant step towards financial sector cooperation, PM Modi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed a transaction made using the JAYWAN card, which has a considerable interface with the RuPay card of the Government of India.
During PM Modi's UAE visit, the two countries also signed 10 MoUs across various sectors including power sector and the crucial India-Middle East Economic Corridor.
BAPS Temple Inauguration
PM Modi also inaugurated the BAPS (Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha) temple, Abu Dhabi's first Hindu stone temple, during his visit to the UAE. The inauguration of the first Hindu stone temple in the Gulf country, which signifies strengthening India-UAE ties, was also an achievement of personal interest for PM Modi. The temple was conceptualised soon after PM Modi came to power in 2014 with the UAE government allocating land for the project during PM Modi's first visit to the country in 2015.
PM Modi also addressed the Indian community at the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event hosted at the Zayed Sports City Arena which was attended by more than 40,000 people. During his address, the PM thanked the UAE President for his commitment to bilateral ties, for his support to the Indian community, and for the granting of land for building the BAPS temple.
Qatar Visit
During his visit to Qatar, his second to the country after 2016, PM Modi met with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The two leaders discussed threadbare various elements of bilateral engagement and issues of regional importance to both countries.
According to a MEA spokesperson, the two leaders held discussions on a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade partnership, investment cooperation, energy partnership, issues engaged in regional security, cultural affinity, and people-to-people ties. They emphasised on the need for strategic investment and strategic partnership in the field of energy and technology and to proceed beyond the (inaudible) relationship in this field besides discussing issues of regional and international importance.
Neighbourhood Camaraderie: PM Modi Receives Bhutan's Highest Civilian Award
In his third visit to Bhutan since 2014, PM Modi visited the neighbouring country on March 22 during which he received the highest civilian award of Bhutan, Order of Druk Gyalpo. The award was announced by the King of Bhutan in December 2021 in recognition of the Prime Minister's contributions to strengthening India-Bhutan friendship.
In terms of the achievements with regard to the bilateral cooperation between the two countries during PM Modi's Bhutan visit, India and Bhutan issued a joint statement announcing cooperation on mutually beneficial hydropower cooperation in months and years ahead and deepening the energy partnership in the areas of non-hydropower renewables. The two countries also signed even MoUs between them including the one on general supply of petroleum oil and lubricants, POL products from India to Bhutan. Another MoU was signed between the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, essentially for recognition of the export inspection and certification system. The MoU is essentially a trade facilitation measure that essentially brings about an ease of trade between the two economies.
In another significant outcome for India-Bhutan relationship during the PM's visit to the neighbouring country, PM Modi announced that the Government of India will be supporting the 13th five-year plan of Bhutan to the tune of Rs. 10,000 crores. This assistance for the 13th five-year plan of Rs. 10,000 crores also includes India's support for Bhutan's economic stimulus package.
G7 Summit-Italy
On June 13 and 14, PM Modi embarked on an important visit to Italy where he attended the G7 Summit during which he also held bilateral meetings with the heads of the states.
The G7 Summit under the Italian Presidency focused on key areas including Russia-Ukraine war, Middle-East, relationship with developing nations and emerging economies with focus on Africa and the Indo-Pacific region, climate energy linkages and food security besides artificial intelligence. PM Modi's Prime participation in the G7 Summit was also a timely opportunity to follow up on outcomes of the G20 Summit, held under India's presidency last year, and deliberate on issues which are significant for the Global South.
Bilateral Meeting With Italy PM On G7 Sidelines
On the sidelines of the G7 Summit, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Italian counterpart, PM Georgia Meloni. While PM Meloni congratulated PM for his third consecutive term as Prime Minister, the latter thanked her for the invitation to participate in G7 Outreach Summit and conveyed his appreciation for the successful conclusion of the Summit.
The MEA said that the two leaders noted with satisfaction the regular higher political dialogue and reviewed progress of the India-Italy Strategic Partnership. They also called for expanding commercial ties in clean energy, manufacturing, Space, S&T, telecom, AI and critical minerals to build resilient supply chains. The two leaders welcomed the recent signing of a MoU on Industrial Property Rights (IPR) which provides a framework for cooperation on patents, designs and trademarks.
They also discussed bilateral defence and security cooperation and hoped for further enhancing the defence industrial collaboration. The two sides also welcomed the forthcoming visit of the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour and training ship ITS Vespucci to India later in the year. PM Modi thanked the Italian Government for recognizing the Indian Army’s contribution in the Italian Campaign during WW-II and informed that India will be upgrading the Yashwant Ghadge Memorial at Montone in Italy.
Both leaders looked forward to joint activities to be implemented under the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative framework to fulfill their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. They also discussed important regional and global issues and agreed to strengthen cooperation in global fora and multilateral initiatives, including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
Visit To Russia And Austria
In July this year, PM Modi embarked on a crucial two-day visit to Russia and Austria.
The trip to Russia was the PM's first visit to the country after its invasion of Ukraine. During his Russia visit, PM Modi held the 22nd India-Russia annual summit with President Vladimir Putin. Significantly, PM Modi was on July 9 officially conferred the ‘Order of St Andrew the Apostle’ award by President Putin for his contribution to fostering bilateral ties between the two countries after the award was announced in 2019. The Russian President also thanked PM Modi for trying to help Russian find a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.
More importantly, the two countries targeted USD 100 billion in bilateral trade during PM Modi's Russia visit. In a joint vision statement, the two countries agreed on economic cooperation in Russia’s Far East and signed MoUs on climate change, polar research, and legal arbitration. Investment promotion and pharmaceuticals.
Ukraine Visit: A Balancing Act
Nearly six weeks after his visit to Russia, PM Modi embarked on a crucial visit to Ukraine on the invitation by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy where he held discussions on the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Maiden State Visit To The US
In September, 2024, PM Modi embarked on a visit to the US, his first state visit to the United States. PM Modi also addressed the US Congress during his visit to the country besides the Indian diaspora at an event in New York. He also attended the Quad leaders' summit and the UN General Assembly session, held multiple bilateral meetings with several heads of states and also spoke at the 'Summit of the Future', organised by the United Nations.
The then incumbent US President Biden hosted PM Modi at his home in Greenville, Delaware where the two leaders held bilateral talks to further strengthen India-US ties.
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