Live updates: Follow the latest news on Modi's visit to the UAE
A festival atmosphere has taken over the venue where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to speak to Indian citizens in the UAE on Tuesday.
Mr Modi will address 40,000 Indian expats and citizens at 6pm at the Alhan Modi event at Zayed Sports City stadium in the capital.
It is part of his two-day UAE tour during which he will speak at Dubai's World Governments Summit on Wednesday, before inaugurating Abu Dhabi's landmark Hindu temple later that day.
Modi has a global reputation of being a dependable leader in a time of crisis
Srinivas Kini
Thousands of Indian citizens descended on the stadium ahead of Mr Modi's speech on Tuesday evening.
The event began with families from across the emirates chanting, “Modi, Modi” hours before his arrival.
Some told The National that they had arrived at the venue as early as 10.30am.
“I wanted to be here early because I'm so excited and happy to get a chance to hear him speak,” said Shilpa Shenoy, an Abu Dhabi resident who works in the oil and gas sector.
“Modi's message is vasudeva kutumbhbhava (the whole world is one family).
“I really believe that you can be from any part of India but the message is for the world and for all Indians to unite.”
Families and people from all over India danced and sang along with popular Bollywood songs at the Ahlan Modi community event.
A colourful parade and performances by dancers kept crowds entertained. Some of those attending wore the colours of the Indian flag, or had it painted on their faces.
Wearing a sari with the colours of the Indian tricolour, Neha Pandey described the prime minister as a “great leader” who worked to build good relations with the UAE, other Gulf nations and the rest of the world.
“He is incredible because of his vision not only for India but for the world,” said Ms Pandey, who owns a small fashion business in the UAE.
“For so many years, he has been building more friendship between the UAE and India, and all over the Gulf.
“This is something I feel we can all learn from him.”
Srinivas Kini, an engineer who has lived in the UAE for nearly 30 years, said there were lessons to be learnt from Mr Modi.
“Modi has a global reputation of being a dependable leader in a time of crisis – he always has a solution.
“This is very much like what we see in the UAE with the leadership of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
“We are blessed that both leaders are close friends and really proud to see how the relationship has grown.”
Part of a large group of friends sporting bright orange Indian kurtas (long shirts), Mr Kini said: “He has shown us his road map for India and how he wants our country to progress.
“India is currently fifth in the world and he has spoken about taking us to number three.
“I would like to know how we as NRIs can actively help in reaching these objectives,” Mr Kini said, referring to India ranking fifth in the world's GDP rankings in 2024.
People who had travelled from India were in the vocal audience who cheered cultural performances and shouted slogans such as, “Bharat mata ki jay (Long live Mother India).”
Chethana Prabhu, a housewife from southern India's Mangalore, is in Abu Dhabi to hear Mr Modi speak and for the inauguration of the capital's first Hindu temple.
“I'm just proud to be Indian and to have a prime minister who has a great vision for India and big plans for the country and us as people,” Ms Prabhu told The National.
Ms Prabhu lived in the UAE for more than 30 years with her banker husband before he retired and returned to India.
“The UAE and India having such a close friendship is important and a big thing for us,” she added.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
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116 pitches
76 nations
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Dominic Rubin, Oxford
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
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Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
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Oscars in the UAE
The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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