New Delhi, December 13 (IANS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day official visit to Jordan on December 15 and 16. This visit is taking place on the occasion of completion of 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Jordan and is being considered an important milestone in the relations between the two countries.
This visit is taking place on the invitation of King Abdullah II of Jordan. According to India’s Ambassador to Jordan Manish Chauhan, this visit of Prime Minister Modi will play an important role in further strengthening the already strong and multi-dimensional partnership between India and Jordan.
Ambassador Chauhan said that this visit of the Prime Minister will give new impetus to bilateral relations and will help in taking the partnership to greater heights. “We look forward to a very positive and successful visit, which will further deepen the strong relations between India and Jordan,” he told IANS.
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold delegation-level talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan. Apart from this, he will also meet Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II. On arrival in Amman he will be formally welcomed by the Prime Minister of Jordan.
The Ambassador said that the Prime Minister’s program reflects the importance given to this relationship by both the countries. Several high-level meetings are scheduled over the course of two days. Along with this, the Prime Minister will also participate in a special session with leading Jordanian industrialists and business representatives, the aim of which is to explore new opportunities for economic cooperation.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will also visit the historical city of Petra in Jordan, where he will be accompanied by Crown Prince Hussein. The visit will also highlight the cultural ties between the two countries.
Ambassador Chauhan said, “The Prime Minister has a very busy schedule, which shows that a wide range of dialogue and engagement has been planned during this visit.” He said that all aspects of bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues are expected to be discussed in the talks.
Prime Minister Modi is also likely to meet the Indian community in Jordan. According to Ambassador Chauhan, the Indian expatriate community in Jordan is active, well-integrated and excited about the Prime Minister’s visit.
Highlighting economic relations, the Ambassador said that India is one of the major trading partners of Jordan. Jordan exports many important commodities to India, including fertilizers, which are important for India’s food security.
He said, “Our bilateral trade is about $2.8 billion, which is now approaching $3 billion. However, there is immense potential to increase it further.”
Ambassador Chauhan also emphasized the deep cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Jordan. He mentioned a strong group of ‘Friends of India’, many of whom were educated in India and still maintain personal and professional ties to India.
He said education, cultural exchange and people-to-people contacts are important pillars of bilateral relations. The launch of direct flights by Royal Jordanian Airlines has further strengthened contacts between the two countries and travel and exchanges are expected to increase further in the future.
–IANS
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