New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, strongly condemning the recent attacks on the Gulf nation and expressing India’s solidarity during what he described as a difficult time.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said he conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives in the attacks and reiterated India’s firm support for the UAE.
“Spoke with President of the UAE, my brother Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Strongly condemned the attacks on the UAE and condoled the loss of lives in these attacks. India stands in solidarity with the UAE in these difficult times,” PM Modi said.
He also thanked the UAE leadership for ensuring the well-being of the large Indian community residing in the country.
“Thanked him for taking care of the Indian community living in the UAE. We support de-escalation, regional peace, security and stability,” he added.
India and the UAE share close strategic and economic ties, with cooperation spanning trade, energy, defence, counter-terrorism and diaspora engagement. The UAE is home to one of the largest Indian expatriate communities in the world, playing a key role in strengthening people-to-people relations between the two countries.
Further details of the conversation were not immediately available.
The Prime Minister’s outreach comes amid heightened tensions in parts of West Asia, with several countries on alert following recent developments in the region.
Also on Sunday, PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in the national capital late in the evening, government sources said.
The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, the apex decision-making body on security and strategic matters, was held against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating geopolitical situation in the Middle East following coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which have intensified regional tensions and raised global security concerns.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were present at the meeting.
According to official sources, PM Modi returned to Delhi around 9.30 p.m. after concluding a two-day tour of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
“The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the CCS on returning to Delhi tonight from his two-day tour of the states,” a government source said.
The CCS comprises the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Defence, Home, External Affairs and Finance.
The urgent convening of the CCS is being seen as a response to the latest developments in West Asia, including US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and subsequent retaliatory actions.
Reports have indicated the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the escalations, heightening fears of a broader conflict.
–IANS
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