India's Modi wraps up UAE visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi finished his two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday.

The UAE and Indian governments issued a joint statement, through UAE state news agency WAM, focusing on politics, economics, social issues, religious concerns and regional security.

Earlier on Monday, the Indian prime minister visited the Dubai international cricket stadium and delivered a speech in Hindi language to 52,000 pre-registered Indian expatriates.

Modi said India was proud of expatriate Indians living and working in the the Gulf Arab state.

About 2.6 million Indian expatriates live in the UAE, representing 30 percent of the UAE's total population.

The tow-day visit also took Modi to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the labors camp Mussafah and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.

Modi's visit marks the first of an Indian head of government to the UAE in 34 years since Indira Gandhi met with former UAE president and the Gulf state's founding father Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan in 1981 in Abu Dhabi.

About 2.6 million Indians live in the Gulf state. Around 45,000 Indian firms operate in the UAE.