PM Modi's visit to UAE postponed amid Covid surge

PM Modi's visit to UAE postponed amid Covid surge

Modi was expected to fly to Dubai on January 6 in his first foreign visit in 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Credit: AFP Photo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has postponed his visit to Dubai in view of the surge in the Covid-19 infection both in India and the United Arab Emirates.

Modi was expected to fly to Dubai on January 6 in his first foreign visit in 2022 and was expected to visit India’s pavilion at the Dubai Expo in the business hub of the United Arab Emirates.

The visit has been postponed amid fears that the new Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could trigger a new wave of the Covid-19 outbreak around the world, including in India and the UAE, sources said.

Modi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, de facto ruler of the UAE, were to hold a meeting on January 6 or 7 to witness signing of a bilateral trade agreement.

The Prime Minister’s tour to Bangladesh on March 26 and 27 this year was his first after visit to a foreign nation after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic forced him to suspend all overseas tours for more than a year. He visited United States, United Kingdom and Italy in September and October this year.

Modi is also expected to visit Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other countries in 2022.

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