Indian Minister of State for External Affairs meets senior UAE Ministers and Arab dignitaries in Dubai

Jun 24, 2009

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs meets senior UAE Ministers and Arab

dignitaries in Dubai



Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs, Government of India

met on June 23, 2009 H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister for Higher

Education and Scientific Research, HE Mr. Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister for Cabinet

Affairs and HE Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister for Foreign Trade.  He also interacted

with a wide range of Arab dignitaries and leaders of the Indian community at a reception

hosted by the Consul General of India in Dubai.  Arab dignitaries who attended reception

included HE Mr. Abdulrahman Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce

and Industry; Mr. Mohammed Sharaf, CEO, DP World; Mr. Abdulla Kalban, CEO, DUBAL; Sir

Easa Saleh Al Gurg, former UAE Ambassador to UK & EU; Mr. Mirza Al Sayegh, former

Consul General of UAE in Mumbai and Patron of the Indian Business and Professional

Council; Mr. Easa Al Ghurair of the ETA Group; Mr. Riad Kamal, Chairman Arabtec; Dr.

Sulaiman Jassim, Vice Chancellor, Zayed University etc.

    Indian dignitaries who attended the reception included Mr. M.F. Hussain, India’s

leading artist; Mr. M.A. Yousuf Ali, Managing Director EMKE Group; Mr. S.M. Salahuddin,

Managing Director ETA-ASCON Group; Dr. J.R. Gangaramani, Chairman, Al Fara’a Group;

Mr. Paras Shahdadpuri, President Indian Business and Professional Council etc.

    In his interactions with UAE leaders Dr. Shashi Tharoor reviewed bilateral

relations and discussed opportunities to intensify them.  Addressing the guests at the

reception he said, “We look forward to adding more vigour and a new energy into the

friendship we already share.  We invite more investments from UAE in various sectors in

India, especially infrastructure.  We look forward to greater economic, security and

cultural co-operation in the future.”

    HH Sheikh Nahayan also spoke at the reception and said UAE is ready to do all

it can to help advance relations with India.  He added that the current economic crisis

has created new opportunities for India and UAE to work together and the two countries

must seize this opportunity.

    This was the first official foreign tour of Dr. Shashi Tharoor after assuming

office.  He travelled to Yemen from Dubai on June 24th where he will have bilateral

meetings with leaders of Yemen. He will also lead the Indian delegation to the Council of

Ministers meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation.


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June 24, 2009