ALBAWABA- UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a brief but high-level working visit, underscoring the growing depth of ties between the two countries.
It was his third official visit to India as president and fifth in the past decade. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received him at the airport, a gesture highlighting the closeness of their relationship.
Although the visit lasted just over three hours, the talks extended beyond schedule. They covered a wide agenda, including trade, energy security, defense cooperation, technology, and global developments, as India and the UAE sought to further strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership amid rising regional instability.
Several key agreements were signed. These included a strategic defense partnership covering joint military exercises and intelligence sharing; cooperation in space infrastructure and commercialization; and a long-term LNG supply deal under which ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 million metric tonnes annually to Hindustan Petroleum.
The two sides also agreed on investment projects in Gujarat’s Dholera Special Investment Region, as well as cooperation on food safety and deeper collaboration in nuclear energy, with a focus on advanced reactors, small modular reactors, and safety standards.
Both leaders reaffirmed their goal of doubling bilateral trade from $100 billion to $200 billion by 2032. Artificial intelligence featured prominently, with plans for a UAE-backed supercomputing cluster in India and discussions on establishing a potential “digital embassy.”
The visit came against a complex regional backdrop. India's engagement is part of the UAE’s effort to diversify strategic partnerships, particularly as relations with Saudi Arabia face unprecedented strain.
Tensions have grown over divergent policies in Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia, following the September 2025 Saudi–Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement, which reinforced Riyadh’s regional security posture.
Disagreements intensified in late 2025 after advances by UAE-backed separatist forces in southern Yemen, Saudi airstrikes on UAE arms shipments, and sharp public exchanges between senior officials.
Similar fault lines have emerged in Sudan and Somalia, reflecting competing regional visions- Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on centralized state stability versus the UAE’s more interventionist approach.
