UAE Crown Prince Continues Tradition at Rajghat, Strengthening India-UAE Ties

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited Rajghat in New Delhi today to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by planting a tree sapling. This marks the third generation of UAE leaders to participate in this tradition at Rajghat.

Sheikh Khaled chose to plant an Amaltas (Cassia Fistula) sapling, following in the footsteps of his predecessors. In 1992, his grandfather, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE, planted an Amaltas sapling during his visit to India. In 2016, Sheikh Khaled's father, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the current President of the UAE, continued the tradition by planting a Molshri (Mimusops Elengi) sapling.

This event is notable as the first time in Rajghat's history that three generations of leaders from a single country have planted trees in honor of Mahatma Gandhi, reflecting the deepening relationship between India and the UAE.

Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled arrived in New Delhi on Monday for his first official visit to India. Today, he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, where they signed several agreements on nuclear energy, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), oil, and food. 

The prince also visited President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The President said that she was pleased to be welcoming the third generation of UAE leadership to Rashtrapati Bhavan, continuing a long tradition of high-level engagement that is in tune with India’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with UAE.

The President added that our historic yet forward-looking bilateral relationship has been transformed over the past decade, steered by the visionary leadership of both countries. She expressed satisfaction that during the Crown Prince’s visit, we have further expanded this partnership through several agreements in new areas of cooperation.

President Murmu said that people-to-people ties form the bedrock of this relationship, with more than 35 lakh Indian citizens residing in the UAE. She appreciated the UAE leadership for ensuring their welfare, particularly the special care taken during the difficult times of the COVID pandemic.