India’s Modi arrives in the UAE on his seventh trip to a nation that is home to millions of Indians

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates on his seventh trip to the nation, preparing to be feted by tens of thousands of his countrymen ahead of elections back home in the coming months.

Modi was met on landing in Abu Dhabi by Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a man he repeatedly has called his brother while working to bolster ties between the Arabian Peninsula nation that is home to millions of Indians. The two leaders walked past an honor guard before sitting down for their meeting, which saw bilateral agreements signed between the nations.

Modi lauded “our closeness and how we have moved forward in every field.”

He added: “Brother, it is also a matter of happiness that we are going to do (a) bilateral investment treaty. This is also going to have a long lasting impact.”

The two sides also discussed energy issues. India remains a key buyer of Emirati oil and now is looking at the possibility of buying liquefied natural gas from the UAE as well, a statement from the Indian delegation said.

The UAE offered no immediate readout on the trip or what the two men discussed.

Tuesday night, tens of thousands of Indians are expected to crowd into Zayed Sports City Stadium to see Modi. Only Indian nationals were being permitted to attend the event in Abu Dhabi, organizers said.

Modi’s arrival came as Indian police on Tuesday used tear gas and detained some farmers who clashed with them and tried to break barricades, blocking their way to New Delhi to demand guaranteed crop prices. In 2021, farmers camped for months in the Indian capital after Modi withdrew controversial agriculture laws that had triggered the earlier protests.

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