New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday emplaned for Abu Dhabi, beginning his official visit to the United Arab Emirates aimed at further strengthening the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. During the visit, PM Modi will hold talks with the President of the UAE, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on key areas of cooperation including trade, investment, energy security, and people-to-people ties. The visit is expected to further deepen strategic and economic engagement between India and the UAE, one of India’s key partners in the Gulf region.

"The visit will serve to promote the significant trade and investment linkages between the two countries,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated.Energy security will be one of the key focus areas during PM Modi’s visit, and two important MoUs in the areas of LPG and strategic petroleum reserves are likely to be concluded during it, according to official sources.According to MEA, the UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and its seventh-largest source of investment cumulatively over the past 25 years. With the UAE hosting a strong Indian community of over 4.5 million, the visit will also be an opportunity to discuss their welfare.Briefing the media, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, earlier stated that in the second leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will visit the Netherlands. This will be the Prime Minister’s second visit to the Netherlands since 2017. During the visit, he will call on King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima and hold talks with Prime Minister Rob Jetten, George said.

For the third leg of the visit, PM Modi will travel to Sweden's Gothenburg and hold bilateral talks with his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation to enhance bilateral trade.The two Prime Ministers will also address the European Round Table for Industry, a leading pan-European business leaders’ forum, along with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.George further stated that during the fourth leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will reach Norway on Monday for the 3rd India-Nordic Summit and bilateral engagements.In the final leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will be in Italy on Tuesday. During the visit, PM Modi will call on the President Sergio Mattarella and hold talks with Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

/IANS