Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on the first leg of his five-nation visit. After landing in the country, the PM held delegation-level talks with the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. On his arrival, he was accorded a guard of honour as he landed in Abu Dhabi. The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral issues, in particular energy cooperation, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. PM Modi’s tour resulted in major agreements and investment announcements across defence, energy, infrastructure and banking sectors.
In a major investment announcement, investments worth USD 5 billion were announced in Indian infrastructure as well as in RBL Bank and Samman Capital. In the maritime sector, both sides signed an MoU on setting up a Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar.
India-UAE Sign Strategic Defence Partnership Agreement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday resulted in major agreements and investment announcements across defence, energy, infrastructure and banking sectors. According to the announced outcomes of the visit, India and the UAE signed an Agreement on Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership, further strengthening bilateral strategic and security cooperation.
MoU On Strategic Petroleum Reserves And LPG Supplies
The two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Petroleum Reserves and an agreement on supplies of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), boosting cooperation in the energy sector.
In the maritime sector, both sides signed an MoU on setting up a Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar.
In a major investment announcement, investments worth USD 5 billion were announced in Indian infrastructure as well as in RBL Bank and Samman Capital.
UAE Minister Hails PM Modi As ‘True Treasure’
Earlier, the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem Al Hashimy, hailed the Prime Minister as a “true treasure” for the leadership and people of the Emirates, stating that the bilateral relationship is poised to scale “new mountaintops” in trade and technology.
Speaking with ANI, Al Hashimy expressed great excitement for the visit, noting that PM Modi remains a key figure in a longstanding partnership.
She said PM Modi’s visit will take forward the regular high-level engagements between the two countries following the UAE President’s visit to India in January and the Crown Prince’s participation in the AI Summit in February.
PM Modi’s Five-Nation Visit
PM Modi’s five-nation visit will also cover the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
After the UAE, he will travel to the Netherlands from May 15-17, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. The visit is expected to focus on sectors such as semiconductors, green hydrogen, innovation, defence and water management.
The Prime Minister will then visit Sweden on May 17-18 and hold bilateral talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The two leaders are also expected to jointly address the European Round Table for Industry along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Discussions are expected around AI, emerging technologies, the green transition and resilient supply chains.
In Norway, PM Modi will participate in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 19 and hold bilateral talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The summit will also see participation from leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden.
In the final leg of the visit, PM Modi will travel to Italy from May 19-20 for talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella. The visit comes amid growing India-Italy cooperation in clean energy.
(With inputs from ANI)
Also Read: Iranian Foreign Minister Calls For Stronger BRICS Unity Against Alleged US Pressure
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
