New Delhi, Feb 14 : The auspicious occasion of 'Basant Panchami' went down in the history of Indian diplomacy as a unique and memorable day even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the first 'Hindu temple' in UAE's Abhu Dhabi, marking the expansion of India's cultural footprint in a significant country of the Arab world.

It was all a show of India's 'growing presence and influence' not only in UAE alone but also in other parts of the world when 'global aarti' took place.

The entire programme reaffirmed the focus of PM Modi's diplomacy on 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the whole world is one family).

He underlined this by inscribing the message of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' on a stone at the BAPS Hindu temple.

He succeeded in sending out the message of India's greater connect with the Arab World as a family.

A clear message was that he does not believe only in words, but he believes in action.

Definitely, PM Modi's temple diplomacy has strengthened the bonds between India and UAE, taking the ties on a much higher trajectory. But the larger message was for the entire Middle East and the Gulf as well. It was aimed at expanding outreach to the other Islamic nations of the region.

UAE has a good clout in the Middle East by virtue of being its third largest economy. The release of eight Indian ex-naval personnel held on espionage charges in Doha (Qatar) was also a reaffirmation of the fact that PM Modi's diplomacy is highly effective and powerful in the region.

The inauguration of the BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi took place close on heels of the release of navy veterans from Doha.

PM Modi will also visit Doha soon after concluding the UAE trip to personally express gratitude to the Emir of Qatar in what will also be another significant diplomatic exercise by the prime minister to ramp up ties with Doha.

There is no denying that PM Modi's visit to UAE saw the strategic and diplomatic ties gaining dizzy heights, which will have positive ramifications as far as Delhi's relationship with the Gulf is concerned.

After all, nobody could have imagined that such a huge temple would be built in an Islamic country. But it could be possible as a result of PM Modi's diplomatic efforts.

It was not simply a cultural event where the temple was unveiled in UAE, but it also reflected PM Modi's larger diplomatic plans to take up a much bigger role in the region, with the various projects in mind.

In what was seen as an important diplomatic message for Abu Dhabi, PM Modi said that it was his seventh visit to UAE. His visit in 2015 to UAE marked the first by an Indian prime minister in 34 years.

/IANS