New Delhi, May 15: India and the United Arab Emirates signed a series of agreements related to defence cooperation, energy security, infrastructure and investment during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The agreements included a framework for bilateral strategic defence partnership, supply of LPG and strategic petroleum reserves, along with investment commitments worth approximately 5 billion US dollars in Indian infrastructure projects, RBL Bank and Samman Capital.
An agreement was also signed for the development of a ship repair cluster at Vadinar in Gujarat.
Prime Minister Modi held delegation-level talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, popularly known as MBZ, during the visit.
According to officials, the discussions focused on strengthening the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across sectors including energy, trade, investment, defence, technology, fintech, shipping and people-to-people ties.
Addressing the meeting, PM Modi stated that India stands “shoulder-to-shoulder” with the UAE and reaffirmed India’s support for peace and stability in the region.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of maintaining the Strait of Hormuz as “free and open” and emphasised adherence to international law in ensuring safe maritime movement.
“The impact of the war-like situation in the West Asia conflict is being felt across the world. India has always given priority to dialogue and diplomacy for resolving issues,” PM Modi said during the talks.
He added that the importance of India-UAE strategic cooperation has increased significantly in the current global situation.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders also discussed developments in West Asia and exchanged views on regional and international issues. The MEA stated that the two countries reiterated their commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
During the discussions, PM Modi condemned recent attacks on the UAE and attempts to violate its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Prime Minister also thanked the UAE leadership and royal family for their support and assistance to the Indian community during recent difficult circumstances in the region.
According to officials, the agreements signed during the visit are expected to strengthen India’s energy security and deepen economic cooperation between the two countries. The UAE’s has also made an announcement of investments worth 5 billion US dollars is also expected to support infrastructure and financial sector development projects in India.
The visit forms part of Prime Minister Modi’s five-nation tour scheduled between May 15 and May 20, covering the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
Officials stated that the broader objective of the visit is to expand India’s strategic and economic partnerships in areas including energy, defence, green transition, trade and advanced technology.
The India-UAE relationship has witnessed significant expansion in recent years, particularly in sectors such as trade, investment, renewable energy, logistics, infrastructure and digital technology.
The UAE remains one of India’s major strategic and economic partners in the Gulf region and is also home to a large Indian expatriate population.
