Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Friday as part of his five-nation foreign tour covering the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy between May 15 and May 20. In a special gesture, UAE F16 fighter jets escorted PM Modi’s aircraft as it entered the UAE airspace before landing in Abu Dhabi, where he was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. During the UAE visit, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to officials, the two leaders are expected to exchange views on bilateral cooperation, particularly in energy, trade and investment, along with discussions on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Five-nation diplomatic tour aimed at strengthening strategic partnerships
Prime Minister Modi emplaned for Abu Dhabi on Friday morning as the first stop of his multi-country diplomatic tour. The broader visit aims to deepen India’s strategic partnerships across sectors including trade, technology, energy, innovation and green growth while strengthening India’s engagement with Europe and the Gulf region.
Exporters say visit comes at a ‘crucial juncture’ for trade ties
Ahead of the visit, exporters’ body Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) described the tour as coming at a “crucial juncture” for India’s trade and investment relations with Europe and the Gulf region. Industry leaders believe the high-level meetings could create fresh opportunities for Indian exporters across several major sectors.
FIEO highlights opportunities across engineering, clean energy and technology sectors
FIEO President SC Ralhan said, “The Prime Minister’s high-level engagements with the leadership of the UAE and major European nations underline India’s growing stature as a trusted economic partner and a key driver of global growth. The visit is expected to create substantial opportunities for Indian exporters across sectors, including engineering, clean energy, technology, pharmaceuticals, food processing, textiles, logistics and digital trade.”
UAE continues to remain a major trade gateway for India
According to FIEO, the UAE remains one of India’s most important trade and investment partners and also serves as a major gateway for Indian exports to the Middle East and Africa. Discussions during the visit are expected to focus strongly on economic cooperation and future investment opportunities.
UAE minister calls PM Modi a ‘true treasure’ for the Emirates
UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy praised Prime Minister Modi ahead of the visit, calling him a “true treasure” for the leadership and people of the Emirates. She said the India-UAE partnership is expected to scale “new mountaintops” in areas such as trade and technology.
High-level engagements expected to continue after earlier bilateral meetings
Speaking with ANI, Al Hashimy expressed excitement over the Prime Minister’s visit and said the trip would further strengthen the regular high-level engagements between both countries following the UAE President’s India visit in January and the Crown Prince’s participation in the AI Summit held in February.
Netherlands visit to focus on semiconductors, hydrogen and defence cooperation
After concluding the UAE leg of the tour, Prime Minister Modi will travel to the Netherlands from May 15 to May 17. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold talks with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. Discussions there are expected to focus on semiconductors, green hydrogen, innovation, defence cooperation and water management.
(with inputs from ANI)
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
