Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on bilateral visits to France, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain this month, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Monday.

Ahead of his visits to UAE and Bahrain, the prime minister will first travel to Paris during August 22-23 for a bilateral meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders will hold talks to strengthen strategic ties in key sectors such as defence, nuclear energy, maritime cooperation and counter-terrorism.

Modi will also address an event of the Indian community at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, and also inaugurate a memorial for Indian victims of two tragic air crashes of Air India flights in 1950 and 1966.

The Prime Minister will pay a state visit to UAE on 23 and 24 August, during which he will meet the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest.

PM Modi will receive the Order of Zayed, the highest civil decoration of the UAE which was conferred earlier in April 2019 in recognition of the leadership of Prime Minister Modi for giving a big boost to bilateral relations between the two countries.

The award in the name of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, acquires special significance as it was awarded to Prime Minister Modi in the year of the birth centenary of Sheikh Zayed.

“India and the UAE enjoy warm, close and multi-faceted relations underpinned by cultural, religious and economic linkages which, during the Prime Minister’s previous visit to the UAE during August 2015, stood elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” the MEA statement said.

In February 2018, PM Modi visited the UAE as the Chief Guest at the World Government Summit. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had visited India during February 2016 and then during January 2017 as the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations.

Further on, the Prime Minister will visit Bahrain on 24 and 25 August.

This will be the first-ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to Bahrain.

During the visit, Modi will meet and hold talks with Prince Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of Bahrain to discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and also regional and international issues of mutual interest.

King Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa will host a banquet dinner in honour of the Prime Minister. PM Modi will also launch the renovation of Shreenathji (Shree Krishna) temple in Manama.

India enjoys close and friendly relations with Bahrain rooted in ancient trade and cultural links.

The presence of over 3000 Indian-owned/Joint Ventures in Bahrain indicates the intense economic engagement between the two countries. The visit will provide an opportunity to further cement our mutually beneficial bilateral ties with Bahrain, the MEA said.

After completing his visits to the UAE and Bahrain, Modi will fly back to France to attend the outreach session of the G7 Summit in Biarritz, where India has been invited as a partner country.