Abu Dhabi Desi Roundup — 12 August 2026
Two stories dominate Abu Dhabi's Desi news this week. The emirate has launched a targeted tourism initiative offering free UAE entry visas to eligible Indian travellers, a move designed to boost arrivals from India — one of the UAE's most important tourist source markets. Separately, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Abu Dhabi has shared its gallery from the 2025 Diwali celebrations, capturing the scale and devotion of observances at one of the region's most significant Hindu places of worship.
🗳️ Abu Dhabi Offers Free UAE Entry Visas to Indian Tourists
Abu Dhabi has introduced a tourism initiative offering free UAE entry visas to eligible Indian travellers, The National News reported on 10 August 2026. The scheme is part of a deliberate push by Abu Dhabi's tourism authorities to increase arrivals from India, one of the UAE's most important and consistently growing tourist source markets. The free entry visa offer directly addresses a practical barrier for Indian travellers: the standard cost of obtaining a UAE tourist visa, which under normal circumstances involves a processing fee that factors into travel budget decisions. By removing that cost through the promotional initiative, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself more competitively against other international destinations that Indian tourists consider, including European, South-East Asian, and other Gulf destinations. The National News — one of the UAE's leading English-language publications — reported the announcement as part of its tourism and travel coverage. The initiative is framed as a tourism push rather than a permanent policy change, indicating it is a time-limited promotional measure aimed at stimulating arrivals during a defined period. Abu Dhabi has invested substantially in tourism infrastructure in recent years, including major cultural and religious landmarks that hold strong appeal for Indian visitors. The free visa scheme reflects the emirate's strategic focus on the Indian market and the growing importance of Indian tourist spending to Abu Dhabi's hospitality and retail sectors. [1]
🪔 BAPS Hindu Mandir Marks Diwali with Dhanteras and Hanuman Pujas
The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Abu Dhabi celebrated Diwali with a full programme of devotional observances, including Dhanteras Puja and a Hanuman Puja, with 192 photographs from the occasion documented in the Mandir's official gallery. The gallery was published under the title Where Light Meets Devotion: Diwali at BAPS Hindu Mandir on 21 November 2025. Dhanteras, observed on the opening day of the five-day Diwali festival cycle, is associated with prosperity, well-being, and the worship of the goddess Lakshmi and the divine physician Dhanvantari, and holds special significance in Vaishnav and Swaminarayan devotional traditions. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Abu Dhabi is located at Plot P6, Al Taf Road (E 16), Abu Mureikhah, Abu Dhabi, and has become a landmark institution of Hindu religious and community life across the UAE. The Mandir serves as a spiritual focal point for South Asian Hindu residents and visitors across the Emirates, and its calendar of observances encompasses the major festivals of the Hindu year. The 192 photographs published in the gallery capture the scope and devotional character of the Diwali celebrations, documenting worshippers taking part in the puja rituals at the Mandir's facilities. The BAPS organisation operates one of the most significant Hindu temple networks outside South Asia, and the Abu Dhabi Mandir is among its most prominent international institutions serving the region's Hindu community. [7]
Sources: [1] thenationalnews.com · [7] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha