Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the sprawling Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, built by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha or the BAPS society, on Wednesday.

After the inauguration, PM Modi thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed for “fulfilling the aspirations of crores of Indians”.

Built on 27 acres of land, this will be the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi which features a unique blend of Indian culture and the United Arab Emirates’s (UAE) identity.

PM Modi thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed for helping build the grand temple.

“If there is anyone who has the biggest and the most significant role in making this grand temple a reality, then it is none other than my brother His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed,” PM Modi said.

The Government of UAE has not only won the hearts of Indians living in UAE, but also of all 140 crore Indians,” he added.

PM Modi also said that the UAE, which till now was known for Burj Khalifa, Future Museum, Sheikh Zayed Mosque and other hi-tech buildings, has now added another cultural chapter to its identity.”I am confident that a large number of devotees will come here in the coming times. This will also increase the number of people coming to UAE and people-to-people connect will also increase,” he said

The temple is built on a 27-acre plot of land, donated by the UAE government, in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway. The stone-laying ceremony took place in 2019.