Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan: A look at the UAE strongman leader rolling out red carpet for PM Modi

PM Modi arrived on a two-day visit to the UAE on February 13

Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi who embarked on his seventh official visit to the Middle East country on February 13.

Under Al Nayhan's tenure as the president, the construction of BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in the UAE, has been completed and Modi is set to inaugurate it.

Who is Al Nayhan

Prominently referred to as MBZ, Al Nayhan took over as the third president of the UAE in May 2022, following the death of his predecessor and half-brother Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed.

The 61-year-old is committed to modernising the Emirati economy and reducing its reliance on oil for revenue. He is also aiming towards increasing the UAE's diplomatic role globally, analysts point out, adding that he has deepened ties with Israel despite flak from several quarters.

Before emerging as a political figure in the early 2000s, MBZ served in the country's military. He had joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in April 1979 and went on to serve in various roles including as pilot of the UAE Air Force.

In terms of education, Al Nayhan had completed studies in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi till the age of 18. His father had made Izzedine Ibrahim, a top Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Islamic scholar, in-charge of his education.

According to MBZ, he was influenced by the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood in the early part of his life. However, he later viewed the group's ideology as a major threat to the stability of the Middle East.