UAE President Personally Sees Off PM Modi After High-Impact Abu Dhabi Visit; India-UAE Partnership Gets Major Strategic Push

Abu Dhabi, May 2025 : In a special diplomatic gesture reflecting the growing warmth in India-UAE relations, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally saw off Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Abu Dhabi airport on Friday as the Indian Prime Minister departed for the Netherlands, the second leg of his five-nation tour.

The two leaders shared a warm embrace before PM Modi boarded his aircraft, underlining the close personal rapport and strategic trust that now define ties between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.

Prime Minister Modi later described the visit as “short but highly productive” and expressed confidence that the outcomes of the discussions would further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

“Concluding a short but highly productive visit to the UAE. Held extensive discussions with my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on ways to further deepen the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. I am confident that the outcomes of this visit will further strengthen our friendship and contribute to growth and prosperity,” PM Modi posted on social media platform X.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also highlighted the significance of the visit, noting that despite its brief duration, the trip produced several major outcomes.

“Brief in duration, significant in outcomes! The visit of PM Narendra Modi led to key outcomes and further deepening of India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties, PM was seen off by President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the airport,” Jaiswal posted on X.

Extensive Talks on Strategic Cooperation

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi held detailed bilateral talks with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in energy, trade, investment, defence, fintech, infrastructure, blue economy, advanced technology and people-to-people relations.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia and other pressing global developments.

Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s strong condemnation of recent attacks on the UAE and expressed solidarity with the UAE leadership and people. He also stressed India’s commitment to ensuring secure and uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy transit route.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and welcomed the rapid expansion of cooperation across multiple sectors under the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The MEA noted that both sides acknowledged the success of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which has significantly boosted bilateral trade and economic engagement.

Major Energy Agreements Signed

Energy security emerged as one of the central themes of the visit, with several important agreements signed to strengthen long-term cooperation.

The leaders welcomed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Under the agreement, the UAE’s participation in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves will expand to 30 million barrels. The two countries also agreed to collaborate on developing strategic gas reserves in India.

Additionally, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and ADNOC signed a long-term agreement for LPG supplies, further enhancing India’s energy security framework.

The MEA described the UAE as one of India’s most important and reliable energy partners, particularly in the supply of crude oil, LNG and LPG.

USD 5 Billion Investment Commitment

One of the biggest outcomes of the visit was the announcement of USD 5 billion in fresh UAE investments into India.

The investments include:

• USD 3 billion by Emirates New Development Bank (ENDB) in India’s RBL Bank
• USD 1 billion by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in partnership with the National Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF) for infrastructure projects
• USD 1 billion by International Holding Company into Sammaan Capital of India

Officials said these investments underline the UAE’s long-term confidence in India’s economic growth story and strengthen the strategic investment partnership between the two countries.

Defence Cooperation Gets New Momentum

The two leaders also welcomed the signing of the Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership, which will deepen cooperation in defence manufacturing, innovation, advanced technologies, cyber defence, maritime security, training exercises, secure communications and information sharing.

The MEA described defence cooperation as an increasingly important pillar of bilateral ties.

Maritime, Technology and Digital Trade Agreements

Several additional agreements were signed during the visit to boost cooperation in maritime infrastructure, skill development and advanced computing.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Cochin Shipyard Limited and Drydocks World, Dubai was signed to establish a major ship repair cluster at Vadinar under India’s Maritime Development Fund Scheme. The project will also include offshore fabrication facilities.

A separate tripartite agreement involving Cochin Shipyard Limited, Drydocks World Dubai and the Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS) aims to train and develop a skilled maritime workforce and position India as a global hub for shipbuilding and ship repair talent.

The two countries also agreed on a term sheet for establishing eight Exaflop Super Compute Clusters through a partnership between India’s Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) and UAE-based G42.

Another key milestone was the operationalisation of the Virtual Trade Corridor through MAITRI — the Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface. The digital platform will connect customs and port authorities from both countries to streamline cargo movement, reduce logistics costs and cut transit time for businesses.

With strategic investments, energy partnerships, defence cooperation and digital connectivity all receiving a major boost, PM Modi’s Abu Dhabi visit marked another significant step in the rapidly expanding India-UAE relationship.

Team Maverick.