Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a two-hour meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi, underscoring the growing strategic weight of India–UAE ties despite the short duration of the visit. The talks took place against the backdrop of rising instability in the Middle East and focused on trade, energy security, defence cooperation and regional developments.
A major outcome of the meeting was the signing of a $3 billion long-term liquefied natural gas agreement, under which ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 million metric tonnes of LNG annually to India for ten years. With this deal, India has emerged as the UAE’s largest LNG customer, strengthening its energy security while deepening Abu Dhabi’s long-term stake in the Indian market.
The two leaders also agreed to move towards a strategic defence partnership, signing a letter of intent aimed at expanding cooperation in defence manufacturing, technology and security dialogue. Officials stressed that the initiative is focused on capacity building and collaboration and does not imply India’s involvement in regional conflicts.
On the economic front, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to double bilateral trade to $200 billion within six years. The meeting reviewed the progress made under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, local currency settlement mechanisms and investment frameworks that have significantly boosted trade and people-to-people ties since 2022.
Regional and global issues, particularly the volatile situation in West Asia, also figured in the discussions. India and the UAE exchanged views on maintaining stability and dialogue in the region, reflecting their growing convergence on key international issues.
Though brief, the visit highlighted the maturity of the India–UAE comprehensive strategic partnership. It demonstrated how both countries are using focused, outcome-driven diplomacy to advance shared interests in energy, defence, trade and regional stability at a time of heightened global uncertainty.
