New Delhi, Jan 19: In a special gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday travelled to the Delhi airport and personally welcomed UAE President Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as he began his third official visit to the country since assuming office.

Both leaders also travelled together in the same car from the airport, showcasing their longstanding friendship and the multi-faceted partnership between the two countries. This is the UAE President’s fifth visit to India over the past decade.

“Went to the airport to welcome my brother, His Highness Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. His visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. Looking forward to our discussions,” PM Modi posted on X.

Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s India visit builds on the strong momentum generated by recent high-level exchanges, including the visit of Shaikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi in September 2024, and the visit of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE and Crown Prince of Dubai in April 2025.

“India and the UAE share warm, close, and multi-faceted relations, underpinned by strong political, cultural, and economic ties. The two countries are among each other’s top trading and investment partners, bolstered by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the Local Currency Settlement (LCS) system, and the Bilateral Investment Treaty. India and the UAE also enjoy a robust energy partnership, including long-term energy supply arrangements,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) ahead of the UAE President’s visit.

“The visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to chart new frontiers for the India–UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It will also enable an exchange of views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, where India and the UAE share a high degree of convergence,” it added.

Washington, Jan 17: President Donald Trump said that his administration had reshaped global dynamics through assertive diplomacy and military action, laying out an expansive account of US foreign policy and economic gains during remarks at a Florida event.

Trump said US actions abroad had produced swift and decisive outcomes. “We have peace in the Middle East. Nobody thought that was going to be possible,” he said, pointing to what he described as multiple agreements reached within a year.

He also claimed “US intervention” helped avert conflict between two nuclear nations — India and Pakistan, and said the effort saved “many millions of people.”

Trump said Iran’s nuclear ambitions had been dismantled, declaring that the United States had “obliterated Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity with Operation Midnight Hammer.” He also cited operations against militant leaders, including the founder of ISIS and Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, arguing that decisive military action had strengthened US security and deterrence.

Trump said the United States had apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, describing him as an “outlaw” and asserting that “no other nation in the world could have done” what the United States achieved. He said the move was part of a broader effort to reset relations and relieve regional pressures.

The president said the United States had attracted unprecedented levels of foreign investment. “We have $18 trillion being invested,” he said, adding that the total could rise further.

He credited tax cuts, regulatory rollbacks and tariffs for driving growth and said manufacturing activity was expanding at historic levels. “We’re building more factories in the United States now than at any time in our history,” he said, citing both automotive and advanced technology sectors.

Trump said tariffs played a central role in pushing companies to shift production to the United States. “They don’t want to pay the tariffs,” he said, calling it a “pretty simple formula.” He also pointed to stock market performance and retirement savings, saying 401(k) accounts were “doing better than they’ve ever done before.”

On immigration, Trump said his administration had fully secured the southern border, describing illegal crossings as an “invasion” that had been halted. He said enforcement efforts focused on violent criminals and gangs, while legal immigration continued through established processes.

London, Jan 12: The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, continues to test the faith of millions of Muslims and the administrative capacity of governments.

In India, the system of Hajj assistance has evolved into a model of inclusion and efficiency, ensuring equal access for pilgrims across diverse social and regional backgrounds.

Khaleej Times reported that from the moment an Indian pilgrim submits an application to the final rites at Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifah, the Indian state plays a facilitative rather than intrusive role.

The emphasis is on service, not symbolism – providing safety, dignity, and equal opportunity without discrimination or privilege. According to Khaleej Times, the introduction of online applications, digital lotteries, and time-bound documentation has streamlined the process, reducing middlemen and discretion.

Whether a pilgrim comes from a metropolitan city or a remote district, the procedure remains uniform, with no fast tracks for the influential and no hidden barriers for the poor.

One of the most significant reforms, as highlighted by the newspaper, was the abolition of the Hajj subsidy in 2018.

While initially criticised, the move redirected funds toward education and welfare, while travel costs were rationalised through better negotiations with airlines and Saudi authorities. The result was a more transparent system where religious obligation was responsibly facilitated.

The newspaper also noted India’s inclusive approach to representation. Delegations include doctors, paramedics, sanitation workers, translators, and volunteers from across the country.

Medical missions provide free healthcare, particularly for elderly pilgrims, and Indian doctors have earned praise for their round-the-clock service in clinics across Mecca and Medina.

This is diplomacy expressed through service, not speeches. It is further reported that special attention has been given to women pilgrims. India’s decision to allow them to travel without a male guardian, in line with Saudi regulations, opened opportunities for widows, single women, and the elderly.

Inclusiveness is also reflected in language support, with training sessions, manuals, and helplines offered in multiple Indian languages to cater to diverse regions.

On the ground in Saudi Arabia, Indian officials coordinate accommodation, transport, food, and crowd management to ensure pilgrims are neither segregated nor disadvantaged.

The newspaper observed that India’s approach avoids religious exceptionalism, framing Hajj assistance within the broader constitutional promise of equality and freedom of religion.

For lakhs of Indian pilgrims, many of whom save for decades to undertake Hajj, this support is tangible – whether in the reassurance of a medical camp, the comfort of hearing one’s mother tongue abroad, or the confidence of consular help in times of distress.

India’s Hajj assistance framework stands as a quiet but powerful example of how a diverse democracy can honour devotion with dignity, it said.

The report also underlined that India’s facilitation of Hajj is part of a wider tradition of supporting major religious gatherings, from the Kumbh Mela to the Amarnath Yatra.

This parity strengthens national trust, showing that secular governance can embrace diversity without hierarchy.

For pilgrims, the journey is not only spiritual but also a lived testament to how democracy can deliver fairness in faith.