Abu Dhabi Crown Prince is Chief Guest at Republic Day function, to meet PM Modi on Wednesday

He will be  the Chief Guest for the 2017 Republic Day celebrations on Thursday.

Briefing the media on Tuesday, Secretary (ER)  Amar Sinha said that the Crown Prince's visit will further strengthen the defence and security cooperation between India and UAE.

The Crown Prince is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials and captains of industry.

During the visit, the Crown Prince will call on President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari.

He will also hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday on bilateral, regional and global issues of common interest.

This is the second visit of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to India since February 2016.

Following Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UAE in August 2015, the two countries have agreed to elevate the mutually beneficial relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India and UAE enjoy warm, close and multi-faceted relations underpinned by cultural, religious and economic linkages.

The two countries reported a well-balanced bilateral trade of about US$ 50 billion in 2015-16.

UAE is among the top investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments. It contributes significantly to India's energy security and was the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India in 2015-16.

Indians form the largest expatriate group in the UAE. Nearly 2.6 million Indians  live in the UAE, the MEA said in its release.

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