Abu Dhabi Crown Prince to begin India visit on Wednesday

Dubai, Feb 7: The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit India this week to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries on "regional and international issues of mutual concern".

Sheikh Mohamed, 54, who is also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, will begin his three-day- long visit to India on Wednesday along with a high-profile delegation of ministers, businesspersons and economists, and will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.

"While visiting India, Sheikh Mohamed will discuss with senior Indian official ways to strengthen cooperation and friendship between the two countries in the light of continuous coordination and consultations regarding regional and international issues of mutual concern," the UAE's official news agency Wam reported yesterday.

Prime Minister Modi has visited UAE in August last year after a gap of 34 years, marking the beginning of a new and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

During the visit, the oil-rich Gulf nation has announced to enhance its investments in India to USD 75 billion (about Rs 5 lakh crore) including through a dedicated infrastructure fund.

UAE is also the largest Arab investor country in India and accounts for 81.2 per cent of the total Arab investments in the country.

The bilateral trade between the two countries is valued at around USD 60 billion, making the UAE, India's third-largest trading partner for the year 2014-15 after China and the US.

PTI