Abu Dhabi, May 15: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday visited the UAE and offered condolences to the UAE leadership on the demise of former President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reaffirmed that India and its people stand by the UAE at this difficult time.

Sheikh Khalifa passed away on Friday after battling illness for several years. He was 73. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Dies: National Flag Flown at Half-Mast in Delhi To Honour Late UAE President.

Vice President Naidu, on landing here at noon, went straight to Mushrif Palace and offered his condolences to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, newly-elected President of the UAE, the royal family and the entire leadership of the UAE, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

He conveyed the condolences of President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and reiterated that India and its people stand by the UAE at this difficult time.

Naidu fondly recalled that under the leadership of Sheikh Khalifa, the India-UAE ties prospered greatly to the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries and also that Sheikh Khalifa took exceptional care of the large Indian community in UAE, who held him in high esteem, the MEA statement said.

He also conveyed his best wishes to Sheikh Mohamed on being elected as the third President of the UAE and said that under his care and leadership, the two countries will continue to take forward their historic and comprehensive strategic relationship in new and diverse areas.

Vice President Naidu was accompanied by Ambassador of India to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir and other senior officials.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the UAE Embassy in New Delhi on Saturday and conveyed India's condolences.

India observed a day of national mourning on Saturday as a mark of respect to Sheikh Khalifa.

"Under the leadership of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the India-UAE ties prospered greatly to the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries. He took exceptional care of the large Indian community in UAE, who held him in high esteem," the MEA said in New Delhi on Saturday.

It said the two countries will continue to take forward their historic and comprehensive strategic relationship in new and diverse areas.