PM Modi Receives Ceremonial Welcome in UAE, Begins Five-Nation Diplomatic Tour

Abu Dhabi, May 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial guard of honour in Abu Dhabi on Friday as he commenced the first leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour aimed at strengthening India’s strategic and economic partnerships across key regions.

Soon after entering the UAE airspace, Prime Minister Modi’s aircraft was escorted by UAE F-16 fighter jets, underlining the close ties shared between the two nations. Upon arrival, he was formally welcomed with ceremonial honours before beginning a series of high-level engagements with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates.

During the visit, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Discussions are expected to focus on expanding cooperation in major sectors including trade, investment, energy security, technology, and people-to-people relations.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit is aimed at deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UAE, which has witnessed rapid growth in recent years.

“The visit will serve to promote the significant trade and investment linkages between the two countries,” the MEA said in an official statement.

Energy security is expected to remain one of the central themes of the discussions. Official sources indicated that two important Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) related to LPG cooperation and strategic petroleum reserves are likely to be signed during the visit.

India and the UAE share strong economic ties, with the Gulf nation currently being India’s third-largest trading partner and the seventh-largest source of cumulative foreign investment over the last 25 years. Bilateral cooperation has expanded significantly across sectors such as infrastructure, renewable energy, fintech, defence, logistics, and digital technology.

The welfare of the Indian diaspora in the UAE is also expected to feature prominently during the talks. The UAE hosts more than 4.5 million Indians, making it one of the largest overseas Indian communities in the world.

Earlier this week, Secretary (West) in the MEA, Sibi George, highlighted the importance of the visit during a special media briefing.

“During the visit, both leaders will discuss avenues to further deepen bilateral ties in areas including trade, investment, energy, technology, culture, and people-to-people connect. Discussions will also focus on strengthening our energy security, which is an important aspect of our relationship,” he said.

The visit follows a series of recent high-level exchanges between the two countries. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India earlier this year, while the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, participated in the AI Impact Summit held in India in February.

After concluding the UAE visit, Prime Minister Modi will continue his multi-nation tour with visits to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy.

Team Maverick.