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PM’s statement prior to his departure to Palestine, United Arab Emirates and Oman

Published By : Admin | February 8, 2018 | 23:05 IST

Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s departure statement prior to his visit to Palestine,United Arab Emirates and Oman.

“I will be undertaking bilateral visits to Palestine, United Arab Emirates and Oman from 9-12 February.

I am happy to visit the Gulf and West Asian region for the fifth time since 2015. This region is a key priority in our external engagement. We enjoy vibrant multi-dimensional ties with the countries here.

The visit will begin from Palestine, on 10 February after transiting through Jordan. I am grateful to His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan for facilitating the transit. I look forward to meeting him in Amman on 9th February.

This will be the first ever Prime Ministerial visit to Palestine from India. I am looking forward to my discussions with President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirming our support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine.

I will visit UAE on 10-11 February, where I am returning after my visit in August 2015. UAE is a valued strategic partner with whom we have fast-tracked cooperation in all major spheres including economy, energy, high technology and security. I will be discussing our progress in these areas and more in my meetings with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

At the invitation of the leadership of the UAE, I will be addressing the 6th edition of the World Government Summit in Dubai, where India is the Guest Country of Honour.

On the same day, I will also engage leading UAE and Arab CEOs in Dubai on the vast economic opportunities in India and what more can be done together to bolster business collaboration.

Oman is a close maritime neighbour with whom we enjoy excellent relations. I will hold talks with His Majesty the Sultan of Oman and other key leaders. I shall also interact with leading businesspersons of Oman on developing stronger economic and business links with India.

Oman is a close maritime neighbor with whom we enjoy excellent relations. I am delighted to undertake my first visit there as Prime Minister on 11-12 February. India and Oman have thriving links rooted in centuries old people-to-people exchanges.

On the evening of 11th February, I will be meeting His Majesty the Sultan of Oman. I will also meet Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said and Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs HH Sayyid Asa'ad bin Tariq Al Said. We will review bilateral cooperation and steps to further enhance our traditionally strong links.

On 12th February, I will interact with leading businesspersons of Oman on developing stronger economic and business links with India.

In both Oman and the UAE, I will have the opportunity to meet the large Indian diasporas that have made those countries their home. More than 9 million Indians work and live in the Gulf region, of which about one third live in the UAE alone. In Oman, they constitute the largest expatriate community.

The Indian diaspora is a bridge of friendship between India and the Gulf states. They are also active participants in the prosperity and progress of their host countries.

I look forward to strengthening India’s growing and important ties with West Asia and the Gulf region through the visit”.

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PM to Visit Gujarat and Maharashtra on 8th September
September 07, 2026
PM to Lay Foundation Stones, Inaugurate and Dedicate to the Nation Development Projects Worth More Than ₹35,000 Crore in Vadodara
PM to Dedicate Three Key Sections of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor to the Nation, Marking Completion of the Project
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Theme of GFF 2026: “Potential to Impact: Agentic AI, Tokenisation, Quantum - Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat and Maharashtra on 8th September 2026. At around 12 noon, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stones, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation various development projects worth more than ₹35,000 crore in Vadodara. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.

At around 5:45 PM, Prime Minister will inaugurate Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai and address the gathering as well.

PM in Vadodara

Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation three important sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), covering 326 route kilometres and developed at a cost of more than ₹20,700 crore. These include the New Sanand (N)- New Makarpura, New Umbergaon-New Saphale and New Saphale- New JNPT sections.

The direct connectivity of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) will facilitate faster movement of EXIM cargo, strengthen connectivity between industrial centres and ports, reduce logistics costs and help decongest Mumbai’s railway network.

With the commissioning of these sections, the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) network will stand fully operational across its entire length. The dedicated freight infrastructure will further strengthen the country’s logistics ecosystem by improving multimodal connectivity, reducing transit time and facilitating seamless movement of cargo across different regions.

Prime Minister will also flag off freight train services from New Sanand (North), New Makarpura, New Umbergaon and New JNPT, Mumbai. In addition, he will flag off a new passenger train service between Tanda Road and Vadodara (Pratapnagar).

Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the Jobat–Tanda Road new rail line, developed as part of the Chhota Udepur–Dhar project. The new rail line will connect remote and tribal areas of Alirajpur with the national rail network.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for three railway projects spanning 329 kilometres and costing more than ₹9,700 crore. These include the Vadodara-Ratlam third and fourth lines, Miyagam Karjan-Choranda–Malsar gauge conversion and the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi doubling project. The projects will enhance passenger and freight capacity, ease congestion and strengthen connectivity between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for three National Highway projects costing around ₹1,780 crore. These include six-laning of the Kamrej-Chalthan section of NH-48; construction of additional structures, including major bridges over the Tapi and Narmada, on the Vadodara-Surat section of NH-48; and grade-separated structures at Abhava, Mindhola and Khajod junctions on NH-53.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for and inaugurate various Government of Gujarat projects worth around ₹2,600 crore. Major projects for which the foundation stone will be laid include Vadodara Urban Development Authority Ring Road Phase II and a 110 MW floating solar project at Kadana Dam, construction of new office of Vadodara Municipal Corporation, among others. Projects to be inaugurated include housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and a water-supply project for 11 villages in eastern Vadodara, among others.

PM in Mumbai

Prime Minister will inaugurate Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026, one of the world’s largest and most influential annual fintech conferences.

The seventh edition of the Global Fintech Fest is being held from 8th to 11th September 2026 in Mumbai. Since 2020, GFF has emerged as an international thought leadership platform bringing together policymakers, regulators, central banks, financial institutions, fintechs, technology companies, investors, academia and other global stakeholders to deliberate on shaping the future of finance.

The theme of GFF 2026 is “Potential to Impact: Agentic AI, Tokenisation, Quantum - Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance.”

GFF 2026 has been designed as a convergence point for policy, regulation, technology, capital and industry on a common platform. It seeks to build on India’s leadership in digital payments and financial inclusion and move from potential to impact. The discussions will focus on how Agentic AI, programmable finance, quantum technologies and other critical and emerging technologies can create trusted, inclusive and measurable outcomes for citizens, enterprises and economies globally.