Sheikh Mohammed accorded high honour

Crown Prince will be Delhi’s chief guest at national celebration

NEW DELHI // India will give Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed a reception usually accorded to the president of the United States.

The honour for the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces reflects Delhi’s efforts to cement India’s partnership with the UAE, Indian government sources said. Sheikh Mohammed will be in New Delhi today for the start of a three-day visit, and he will be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations from today until Thursday.

In a first, a UAE military contingent will march in the Republic Day parade. Sources said Sheikh Mohammed was invited to be the chief guest after Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina were considered. World leaders have been the chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations. They include French president Francois Hollande (last year), US president Barack Obama (2015), Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe (2014), French president Nicolas Sarkozy (2008) and Russian president Vladimir Putin (2007). Sheikh Mohammed is the most prominent Arab leader to be invited to be the chief guest in recent years.

The late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had been the chief guest in 2006.

India, under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi, and the UAE are likely to sign 10 accords during Sheikh Mohammed’s state visit. They include a partnership agreement that would set the tone for future dialogues, according to Indian officials. Sheikh Mohammed will be accompanied by a delegation including ministers, senior officials and captains of industry.

He would call on president Pranab Mukherjee and vice president Mohammad Hamid Ansari, and would hold talks with Mr Modi on bilateral, regional and global issues, the Indian government said.