PM Modi to lay foundation stone for first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a four-day visit to three West Asian countries, will on Sunday witness the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the first Hindu temple in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It will be the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the Middle East.

Calling it a historic event, Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said that the temple will come up on 55,000 square metres of land.

"The first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi will come up on 55,000 square metres of land and the groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday will be a historic event," Suri said.

Ministry of External Affairs Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to and shared a photograph of the temple committee members presenting the temple literature to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and PM Modi.

Temple Committee members presenting the temple literature to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and PM @narendramodi. This will be the first stone temple to be built in Abu Dhabi off Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway. pic.twitter.com/Bw8sh6WW2d — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 10, 2018

The temple will be hand-carved by Indian temple artisans and assembled in the UAE. The construction of the temple will be completed by 2020 and open to people belonging to any religious background.

PM Modi will flag off the temple foundation stone ceremony during a community event. He is slated to meet the Indian diaspora at Dubai Opera House.

The meeting will be attended by representatives of all major organisations. A number of Indian professionals have also been invited to the event.

This comes a day after the Prime Minister met the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and held wide-ranging talks with him.

The two sides also signed five agreements including a historic pact awarding a consortium of Indian oil companies a 10 percent stake in offshore oil concession.

Modi, who arrived in Abu Dhabi from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Mohammed Bin Zayed and other members of the Royal family at the airport.

Here's the Prime Minister's schedule for today:

9.45am – Depart for Wahat Al Karama

10am – Arrive Wahat Al Karama (tour to Wahat Al Karama)

10.25am – Depart for Dubai Opera (in chopper) (flying time 25 minutes)

11am – Community Event At Dubai Opera

11.50am – Depart For Mina A'Salam hotel

12.15pm – Meeting with GCC Business Leaders at Mina A’Salam hotel

12.45pm – Depart for Madinat Jumeirah (Holding Room)

12.55pm – bilateral Meeting (Venue Room No1 , Madinat Jumeirah)

13.05pm – Depart for Ruler's Majilis, Madiat Jumeirah

13.10pm – Meeting with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. Venue: Ruler’s Majilis, Madiat Jumeirah

13.40pm – Walkthrough Sheikh Zayed Exhibition (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to Accompany PM)

13.50pm – Tour to Museum of the Future and Edge of Govt

14.05pm – Depart for Madinat Jumeirah (holding room)

14.10pm – Pull Aside meeting with Prime Minister of France (TBC) at Madinat Jumeirah

14.25pm – Depart for Arena Hall

14.45pm – Bharatnatyam Performance at Arena Hall. Madinat Jumeirah

14.50pm – Keynote Address at the inauguration of the world Govt Summit (Venue Arena Hall Madinat Jumeirah)

15.30pm – Depart for Mila A'Salam Hotel

16.15pm – Bilateral Meeting VVIP SUITE MINA A’Salam hotel

16.35pm – Depart for Dubai Airport Roayl Air Wing

18.15pm – Arrival at Muscat Airport, Ceremonial Reception

20.15pm – Community Event at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex

22.00pm – Meeting with HM Sayyid Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman

23.00pm – Announcement of Agreements signed between India And Oman

23.15pm – Dinner Hosted by HM Sayyid Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman