Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for his three-nation West-Asia trip with a stopover in Jordan, where he will hold bilateral meeting with King Abdullah II. However, the highlight of the gulf trip is Palestine as it will be the first-ever Indian prime ministerial trip to Palestine.

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Today early morning, PM Modi left India for a tour to three west Asian nations – Palestine, UAE and Oman; and a stopover at Jordan. The first leg of the four-day trip is destined at Palestinian Capital Ramallah, where he will be holding talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. However, before reaching to Palestine, Modi held a stopover at Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport in Amman. After landing in Jordan, PM Modi was welcomed by Acting Prime Minister Mamdouh Abbadi, Minister of State for Investment Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh, Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh, the Indian Ambassador in Amman and a number of civic and military officials; and later a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

After the brief bilateral meeting in Jordan, PM Modi has headed towards Palestinian capital Ramallah to become the first-ever Indian prime minister to visit the city. Accompanied by Palestinian PM Rami Hamdallah, Modi’s first engagement after arrival at Ramallah will be to lay a wreath at the Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat. Next, Modi will take a short tour of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum. The Indian PM will then be welcomed by President Mahmoud Abbas with a ceremonial welcome in the compound of the Presidential Headquarters. At the meeting with President Abbas, Modi is expected to reaffirm India’s support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine.

After an entire day at Palestine, Modi will leave for the UAE tomorrow and then for the final leg of the trip to Muscat on February 11 before returning to Delhi. In both Oman and the United Arab Emirates, Modi is expected to meet the Indian diaspora which he described as “a bridge of friendship between India and the Gulf countries”. And, at Dubai, Modi is expected to interact with UAE and Arab CEOs to discuss economic opportunities with India and will be signing as many as 12 agreements covering up areas like finance and skills development.

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