Indian envoy hails UAE's spirit of tolerance

He hailed the contributions of the community leaders, who made sure the expat population in Abu Dhabi get the 'place they deserve'.

The proposed visit of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to India next month is a 'milestone' in the bilateral relations, said new Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri.
Addressing the audience during a welcome reception hosted by the Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC), he said now there is an 'intense focus' on India.
Suri also threw open the gates of the embassy for expats. The ambassador urged people to follow him on Twitter and follow the embassy on Facebook. "We don't want to be seen as someone living aloof in Ivory Tower, inaccessible to its own people," Suri said.
He hailed the contributions of the community leaders, who made sure the expat population in Abu Dhabi get the 'place they deserve'.
"Equally, we must remember those who have donated land" to create centres like the ISC.
Suri lauded the sagacious leadership of Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed.  "Whatever I have seen in last few weeks is truly a testament to the spirit of tolerance."
He praised the commitment of the leadership to make the 'UAE a model. a beacon for other countries in the region to watch'. "Each community, faith, culture and language has an opportunity and space to flourish in the UAE," he added with a 'big thank you' to the UAE government.
Regarding Shaikh Mohammed's Republic Day visit, he said India is 'eagerly waiting' for the visit.
"India has a foreign dignitary every week but there is one that makes us feel particularly special - the one who will be our chief guest on the Republic Day."
"As a new ambassador, who could have asked for a better timing for arrival than to be at the cusp of this historic milestone," he asked.
Coming to the UAE from his assignment as the High Commissioner of India in Australia, Suri said in many countries around the world, there is an 'intense focus' on India at this point of time.
And he gave four reasons for this: "First is the leadership that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided. The energy he has given not just to foreign policy but to make India's presence felt at global stage is palpable."
The second is India's economic growth story, he said, adding that the world wants to be part of this growth story.
"The third factor is increasingly volatile and restless geopolitical situation in which the world finds itself. When analysts look at the world, India pops up as a stable and transparent country and seen as a net contributor to regional security."
And in the UAE, there is a fourth factor: "People like you. Indian community is recognised for values of dedication, hard work and the way they become bridge between cultures."
These four elements, he said, are 'driving prominence of India on the global stage'.
- ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

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