We hope 2 welcome a dear friend of India, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, as Republic Day 2017 Chief Guest pic.twitter.com/aC5EkjFiCg — Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) October 2, 2016

"Our strong relations are deeply rooted in history; our strategic cooperation has increased, driven by our mutual aspirations to develop it" — ????? ???? ?? ???? (@MBZNews) October 2, 2016

NEW DELHI: Stepping up engagement with the Gulf amid deterioration of ties with Pakistan and impasse Kashmir India will host Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi as Republic Day Chief Guest in January 2017, less than a year after his visit here following up on Narendra Modi’s visit to UAE in August 2015.“We hope 2 welcome a dear friend of India, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, as Republic Day 2017 Chief Guest,” announced MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup through twitter putting to rest speculations on the next year’s Chief Guest for the big day.“In a letter to India's PM, Mohamed bin Zayed expressed thanks for the kind invitation to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. "Our strong relations are deeply rooted in history; our strategic cooperation has increased, driven by our mutual aspirations to develop it" read a tweet from the key Gulf nation.“The crown Prince decision shows that the entire world, including the Gulf States, stands with India in the fight against terrorism. It deepens Pakistan’s isolation. It is a recognition of the inherent strength and resilience of the Indian economy and the fact that it is doing exceedingly well at a time of global economic slowdown. The UAE sees considerable economic opportunities in India as evidenced by its decision to invest $75 billion in India’s infrastructure over the long term,” a senior source pointed out.“The Crown Prince is an enlightened ruler who is a strong advocate of modernity. It shows his natural affinity with PM Modi who has a similar vision of modernizing India. Both share a good personal chemistry,” another source quipped.This visit could further bolster India's arguments against Pakistan with Islamabad's Kashmir bogey failed to cut ice in Gulf.UAE was the first country that Modi visited in the Gulf region last year as the PM which was first trip by an Indian PM there in over three decades. This February when Zayed Al Nahyan was here the two sides elevated their ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Crown Prince was received at the airport by Modi himself.Combating international terror was a key item on the agenda of discussions when Modi me Zayed Al Nahyan held dialogue taking forward their discussions from the PM’s visit to the Gulf state last August. “…They further deplored efforts by countries to give religious and sectarian colour to political issues and pointed out the responsibility of all states to control the activities of the so-called ‘non-state actors’, and to cut all support to terrorists operating and perpetrating terrorism from their territories against other states,” the joint statement emphasized taking an indirect dig on Pak-sponsored cross-border terror. The two sides also launched cyber security cooperation.UAE was among the countries that came out in India’s support within hours of the Pathankot attack. It is no secret that UAE is emerging as a key counter-terror partner for India notwithstanding Abu Dabhi’s traditional warm ties with Pakistan.But Abu Dabhi has been upset with Islamabad for its refusal to send troops in the Yemen conflict. Al Nahyan’s visit came in the backdrop of UAE handing over three Indian IS sympathisers to Delhi last week, taking the total number of IS-radicalized youth deported by the Gulf country here since last year to a dozen.During Modi’s visit to both Abu Dabhi and Dubai, India and the UAE had announced a comprehensive counter-terror partnership that even called for delinking terror from religion as the two sides launched deradicalisation initiatives.