Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, will arrive in India from April 8 on a two-day official visit, his first as Crown Prince. As the deputy prime minister and defence minister of the UAE, he is visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the objective of enhancing strategic and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Sheikh Hamdan will be joined by senior ministers, top-ranking officials, and a high-powered UAE business delegation. On April 8, Prime Minister Modi has hosted a working lunch in his honour in New Delhi. He will also have bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
After his interactions in the capital city, the Crown Prince will depart for Mumbai and will attend a business roundtable with leading Indian and UAE entrepreneurs. This meet-up is slated to discuss opportunities for cooperation both in traditional businesses and new frontier industries.
According to sources cited by CNN-News18, the economic leg of the visit will include the announcement of new projects by DP World and the signing of MoUs with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. Companies associated with Dubai’s royal family already active in Mumbai’s real estate market—are also expected to explore new investment opportunities.
Dubai has been the key link for ages in India-UAE relations, particularly commerce and cultural flows. A bulk of India’s 4.3 million UAE diaspora are based in Dubai.
The trip is expected to further cement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations and develop India’s fast-paced relationship with Dubai and wider UAE.
