Earlier in the day he landed in the Netherlands as second leg of his 5 nation visit. He arrived in Amsterdam after concluding his UAE visit.
The visit began with strong symbolic messaging. UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally received Modi at Abu Dhabi airport, while UAE F-16 fighter jets escorted the Prime Minister’s aircraft into Emirati airspace. Modi was later accorded a ceremonial guard of honour in Abu Dhabi before delegation-level talks between the two leaders.
During the visit, India and the UAE signed an Agreement on Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership, aimed at expanding bilateral defence and security cooperation. The two sides also finalised a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Petroleum Reserves and an agreement related to Liquefied Petroleum Gas supplies, signalling a deeper push towards energy security cooperation amid continuing instability in global energy markets.
In the maritime sector, both countries signed an MoU for setting up a Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar. In a major economic boost, investments worth USD 5 billion were announced for Indian infrastructure projects as well as investments in RBL Bank and Samman Capital.
Speaking during delegation-level talks, Modi thanked the UAE President for strengthening bilateral relations and said India-UAE cooperation had acquired greater significance in the current global environment.
“I extend heartfelt gratitude to you for taking our comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights. During your visit to India in January, we agreed to qualitatively upgrade our relations. Even in such a small duration, we have made significant progress in all matters,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also addressed the growing tensions in West Asia, saying the impact of regional conflict was being felt across the world. He stressed that diplomacy and dialogue remained the best path towards stability and peace.
“India stands shoulder-to-shoulder with UAE in every situation, and it will continue to do so. For the restoration of peace and stability, India will extend all possible cooperation,” Modi said. He also underlined the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz “free and open” and called for respect for international laws.
Modi strongly condemned recent attacks targeting the UAE during the talks. “We strongly condemn the attacks launched on the UAE. The manner in which UAE has been targetted is not acceptable in any form,” he said.
The Prime Minister also thanked the UAE leadership for expressing condolences following the recent natural disaster in India and praised the Emirates for supporting the Indian diaspora during difficult times.
Ahead of the visit, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations described Modi’s five-nation tour as taking place at a “crucial juncture” for India’s trade and investment engagement with Europe and the Gulf region. FIEO President S. C. Ralhan said the high-level engagements would create fresh opportunities for Indian exporters in sectors such as engineering, clean energy, technology, pharmaceuticals, logistics and digital trade.
UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy described Modi as a “true treasure” for the UAE leadership and people and said bilateral ties were poised to reach “new mountaintops” in trade and technology.
The UAE remains one of India’s most important trade and investment partners and serves as a gateway for Indian exports to West Asia and Africa. The latest agreements are expected to deepen strategic convergence between the two countries across sectors ranging from defence and energy to logistics and financial cooperation.
After concluding the UAE leg of the visit, Modi will travel to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, where discussions are expected to focus on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, resilient supply chains, innovation and defence partnerships.