WATCH: PM Modi holds bilateral meeting with President of Madagascar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with the President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina in Abu Dhabi.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a bilateral meeting with President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina in Abu Dhabi. pic.twitter.com/a2GcTp1LyX

— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2024

This was the first meeting between the two leaders. According to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, Modi and Rajoelina recognized the long-standing friendly relations and ancient geographical ties between the two countries. They also discussed ways to advance bilateral ties and appreciated the close cooperation between the two countries in various multilateral fora, including the UN.

Had a wonderful meeting with President @SE_Rajoelina of Madagascar, an important partner of our SAGAR vision. We discussed ways to boost trade and cultural linkages between our nations. pic.twitter.com/HrCfpz4NZd

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 14, 2024

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PM Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to further strengthen India-Madagascar partnership and to Vision SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region. He conveyed that as a fellow developing country in the Indian Ocean Region, India will remain a committed partner in the developmental journey of Madagascar. India-Madagascar relations India has shared a long history with Madagascar. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India has had maritime links with the East African nation for several centuries while Indian merchants have been visiting Madagascar since the late 18th century. India is also actively engaged in training Malagasy people in capacity building and other high-skilled fields, courses for which are offered through ITEC and India Africa Forum Summit. PM Modi’s UAE visit The Indian prime minister is on a two-day official visit to the UAE that began on 13 February. This is Modi’s seventh visit to the nation since he took office. On Tuesday, PM Modi was accorded Guard of Honour after he arrived in Abu Dhabi. Both the nations exchanged Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and signed an agreement on a trade corridor that aims to connect Europe with India through parts of the Middle East by sea and rail, an ambitious plan backed by the US and the European Union. Modi also held wide-ranging talks with the UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to take forward the bilateral strategic partnership. Both leaders held one-on-one and delegation-level talks, reviewed the bilateral partnership and discussed new areas of cooperation. They also talked about deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership across sectors, including trade and investment, digital infrastructure, fintech, energy, infrastructure, culture and people-to-people ties, the MEA said in a statement. PM Modi also met the Indian diaspora in UAE in an event called ‘Ahlan Modi’ where he thanked the Indian community for their contribution. “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,” he said. Later today, the prime minister will inaugurate the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.