Dubai (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and discussed a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation including trade and investment.

"Strengthening India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership! PM @narendramodi met VP & PM of UAE @HHShkMohd in Dubai. Discussions covered a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation including trade & investment, technology, education, and people-to-people ties," said a post on the official X handle of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In another meeting with Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to further strengthen India-Madagascar partnership and help in the developmental journey of his island nation.

A first meeting between the two leaders, Modi and Rajoelina met on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit here.

"Both leaders recognized the long-standing friendly relations and ancient geographical ties between the two countries. They discussed ways to advance bilateral ties and appreciated the close cooperation between the two countries in various multilateral fora, including the UN," an MEA statement said.

Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to "further strengthen India-Madagascar partnership" and to Vision SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region, it said.

Modi also conveyed that as a fellow developing country in the Indian Ocean Region, India will remain a committed partner in the developmental journey of Madagascar, the MEA added.

Modi, while speaking at the Summit, elaborated on a wide range of subjects that strengthened the conversations around building a better planet and also sought reforms in global governance institutions.

After signing multiple bilateral agreements with the UAE, and attending the high-voltage Ahlan Modi' event that saw massive participation from the Indian diaspora, PM Modi is set to inaugurate the largest Hindu stone temple in Abu Dabhi.

After attending the World Governments Summit, he is headed to Doha to meet the leadership in Qatar as part of his two-day visit to the Gulf region.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday gave credit to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's leadership as well as the five guarantees for the Congress party’s success in the assembly bypolls.

Shivakumar said this victory was a prelude to the 2028 assembly election where the party would once again win.

The Congress won the Channapatna, Shiggaon and Sandur Assembly segments.

The by-elections were held on November 13 and the results were announced today.

The ruling Congress on Saturday retained its strong hold of Sandur, with its candidate E Annapoorna, winning the seat by defeating BJP's ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu.

In the Channapatna segment, Congress' C P Yogeeshwara won the high profile seat by defeating JD(S) candidate and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy.

Similarly, Congress' Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan won the Shiggaon Assembly segment by defeating former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's son Bharath Bommai.

"Our guarantees, Siddaramaiah’s leadership and our workers and MLAs are responsible for our victory," Shivakumar told reporters.

He said neither Nikhil Kumaraswamy nor Bharath Bommai lost the election. In fact, this was the defeat of their parents -Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai.

"With this victory, our tally has now gone up to 138. There are other numbers as well, but I will not spell out how some people have internally supported us," Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, said.

The Karnataka Assembly has 224 seats.

The Deputy CM advised his opponents to focus on development works instead of making baseless allegations as it would fetch them nothing but a constant defeat.