PM likely to visit UAE next month

In a first visit in three decades to UAE by an Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh is likely to visit that country next month en route to Durban for the BRICS- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa- Summit on March 26-27.
Indira Gandhi was the last Indian prime minister to travel to the country in 1981.
Though the Prime Minister's programme to UAE has not been finalised so far, he is likely to combine the trip to United Arab Emirates with his South Africa visit, sources said.
UAE is home to nearly two million-strong Indian expatriate community.
Besides, giving a fillip to trade, Singh could also address investor concerns there considering how telecom major Etisalat was forced to shut operations in India last year after Supreme Court cancelled 122 telecom licences following the 2G scam.

It will also mark growing trade relations between the two countries, which has seen an upward swing in the past few years, with trade touching USD 72 billion last year.
This made UAE India's second largest trading partner for the year 2011-12.