Celebrating friendship: PM Modi cheers India-UAE bond at 'Ahlan Modi' event in Abu Dhabi
Love to the diaspora
Expressing his gratitude to the attendees, he said: "You have scripted history by coming in such large numbers here. You may have come from different parts of UAE and from different states of India, but everyone's hearts are connected."
Long live the friendship
At the event which began with the national anthems of the two nations, Modi said, "This is the time to hail the friendship between India and the UAE."
"In this historic stadium, every heartbeat echoes the same sentiment-Long live Bharat-UAE friendship," he added.
Modi-Modi!
The atmosphere crackled with enthusiasm as chants of "Modi-Modi" reverberated across the stadium, a epitomising the collective reverence and admiration for the Indian Premier amongst the attendees.
"I have come to meet my family members. I have brought the fragrance of the soil where you were born and have brought the message of 140 crore people. The message is that Bharat is proud of you," he told the diaspora.
Indian diaspora in UAE
With approximately 3.5 million Indian nationals, the UAE boasts the largest expatriate community in the Gulf country.
Throwback to his first visit
Reflecting on his inaugural visit to the UAE in 2015, Prime Minister Modi reminisced about the warmth and hospitality extended to him by the Emirati leadership.
Recalling his first official trip to the UAE, PM Modi said, "I remember my first visit in 2015 when it had been only some time since I came to the Centre. It was the first visit of an Indian PM to the UAE, after three decades. The world of diplomacy was new to me."
"That warmth, the shine in their eyes - I can never forget that," he said.
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