As tensions escalate across West Asia, the UAE has emerged as both a frontline state and a voice for restraint. Viral footage ofUAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyanvisiting civilians injured in recent strikes has resonated widely in India, especially among the large Indian diaspora living in the Emirates. In this exclusive interview with CNN-News18, UAE ambassador Abdulnasser Jamal Alshaali explains the leadership ethos behind the visit, the country’s sophisticated air defence response toIranian missiles and drones, and why targeting financial hubs and civilian infrastructure is unacceptable under international law. He also highlights India’s support for the UAE’s sovereignty and the enduring bond between Emiratis and the Indian community.
Footage of the UAE President visiting the hospital has gone viral in India. Can you describe the connection between the royal family and its people?
What you saw in that footage was leadership when it mattered most.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan went to a hospital to sit with five injured civilians: two Emiratis, one Indian, one Sudanese, and one Iranian.
The UAE President visited an Iranian civilian in hospital while Iran was attacking the UAE and said directly, “They are all our responsibility." That is the character of His Highness and our country’s leadership.
He addressed the residents of this country as our extended family.
For Indians in the UAE, that phrase is not a metaphor.
The Indian community has been part of this country’s story for generations: not as guests, but as people who belong here.
When His Highness uses the word “family", he is drawing on a relationship that goes back decades, built in hospitals, boardrooms, construction sites, classrooms, in the very daily life of this nation.
The words of His Highness were those of a person who has watched Indians and Emiratis grow this country together, and who takes the safety of Indians residing in our country personally.
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
