August 17, 2015
ABU DHABI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited on Sunday the historic Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque in Abu Dhabi, his first stop in the two-day visit to UAE.
August 17, 2015
ABU DHABI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited on Sunday the historic Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque in Abu Dhabi, his first stop in the two-day visit to UAE.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, middle, takes a selfie next to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, left, as they tour the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque during the first day of his two-day visit to the UAE, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015.
Not only that, the PM also took a selfie at the mosque, the third largest in the world after the ones in Mecca and Madina in Saudi Arabia.
With HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan & HE Dr. Anwar Gargash at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. #Selfie pic.twitter.com/rk33ZOlOuS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2015
Clad in a cream-coloured kurta with an orange and white stole, Modi walked around in the mosque and looked at the architecture as he was briefed on the exquisite skill that went behind creating this key place of worship.
The Prime Minister has clicked selfies in the past with several leaders and the 'selfie diplomacy' has emerged as an integral part of his overseas trips.
During his May visit to China, he clicked one with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang.
In April, he had clicked a selfie with Indian students who gathered around him during his visit to the French Space Agency.
Last year, during his trip to Australia, Modi posted a selfie with his "friend" and Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.
The first Indian Prime Minister to visit the UAE in 34 years, Modi was earlier received by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi along with his five brothers at the airport, in a departure from protocol. The last dignitary to be received by him was the King of Morocco in May this year.
The PM has pitched for close partnership between United Arab Emirates and India to counter terrorism amid the cloud of Islamic State terror in the region.
He emphasized the need to forge strong counter-terrorism measures between the two nations, besides expanding trade and investment ties.
India is UAE’s second largest trading partner while 45,000 Indian companies operate in the rich west Asian nation. Foreign direct investment to India from the emirates is over $3.1 billion.
Courtesy: PTI
