PM Modi at the Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today began his two-day trip to the UAE by visiting the historic Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque, the world's third largest.
After his arrival, PM Modi, on first public engagement in Abu Dhabi, visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a key place of worship in the UAE and known as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture.
The mosque is third largest in the world after the ones in Mecca and Madina in Saudi Arabia. It is named after the founder and first President of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The mosque can accommodate around 40,000 people. The mosque was constructed from 1996 to 2007.
The first Indian Prime Minister to visit the UAE in 34 years, Mr Modi was earlier received by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi along with his five brothers at the airport, in a departure from protocol. The last dignitary to be received by him was the King of Morocco in May this year.