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Assuring the safety of the large Indian community in the United Arab Emirates amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia, UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Jamal Alshaali said that the Indian diaspora in the Gulf nation is safe and cared for, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direct engagement with UAE leadership during the situation.
Alshaali said Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally contacted UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan soon after concerns arose, reflecting the strong ties between the two nations and the importance both countries attach to the well-being of the nearly four million Indians living in the UAE. "They were watching the place where their son works, where their daughter lives, where their family has built a life. And Prime Minister Modi's response to that reality was immediate. He called His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, directly," Alshaali said. He added that PM Modi's move demonstrates the Indian leadership's close monitoring of the situation and its active engagement with the UAE authorities regarding the safety of Indian nationals. "The four million Indians living in the UAE deserve to know that their Prime Minister was personally engaged, personally watching, and personally in contact with the leadership of the country they call home," he said. Amid the heightened tensions in West Asia after the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on February 28, following which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries, PM Modi spoke with the UAE President and condemned the strikes. In a post on X on March 1, PM Modi also condoled the loss of lives during the attack and urged for immediate de-escalation. He further expressed appreciation to the UAE leadership for ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community there. "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. Thanked him for taking care of the Indian community living in the UAE. We support de-escalation, regional peace, security and stability," PM Modi stated in his post on X. Highlighting the UAE leadership's commitment to protecting all residents regardless of nationality, Alshaali recalled that the UAE President recently visited civilians injured during the strikes and reassured them of their safety. "The connection between our two countries was demonstrated in the most human terms possible when His Highness the President visited five civilians in hospital - two Emiratis, one Sudanese, one Iranian, and one Indian. And His Highness sat with an Indian national and said directly, "They are all our responsibility." That is the assurance Indian families watching from home should hold on to," the Ambassador said. Addressing Indian families concerned about their relatives in the UAE, the Ambassador delivered a direct message of reassurance, stating, "To the mother in Kerala watching the news at midnight, and to the father in Gujarat refreshing his phone waiting to hear from his son in Dubai, let me be extremely clear: Your family in the UAE is not alone. They are safe, they are cared for, and they are considered family by the leadership of this country," he said. He further emphasised that the UAE remains stable and committed to protecting everyone residing in the country. "The UAE's institutions are functioning, its economy is stable, and its commitment to the safety and dignity of every person on its territory is unwavering," he added. (ANI)
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