PM not to visit UAE due to 'scheduling' issues

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's proposed visit to UAE en route to South Africa for BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) Summit on March 26-27 will not take place due to "scheduling" issues.

The decision was taken after an advance team, which visited UAE and returned on Sunday, felt that the there were issues pertaining to "logistics and scheduling", government sources said today.

The proposed visit, which was to be the first in three decades by an Indian Prime Minister, was not officially announced either by the Prime Minister's Office or by the Minis PTItry of External Affairs.

Indira Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to travel to the country in 1981.
UAE is home to nearly two million-strong Indian expatriate community.