Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed visits India, meets PM

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, and the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) paid a working visit to India yesterday during which he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

An official press release said that, during the meeting, the two countries discussed various issues of mutual interest, including greater collaboration in combating the menace of terrorism and enhancing cooperation in the area of security.

It said Dr Singh and Sheikh Mohammed also reviewed the state of bilateral relations in order to take the relationship between the two countries to a higher level. They discussed ways of increasing cooperation in technology, trade and investments so that the full potential existing in the two countries could be realised to their mutual advantage.

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Ahmad bin Saeed al Maktoum, Head of Dubai Higher Committee for Financial Policy, Ms Reem Ibrahim al Hashmi, Minister of State, and other senior officials from the UAE.

According to the release, the UAE had, in 2009, emerged as India's largest trading partner with bilateral trade touching $45 billion. Investments from the UAE have also increased, especially in the infrastructure sector.

Sheikh Mohammed had last visited India in March, 2007.

NNN