Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Abu Dhabi as the first stop of his five-nation tour and held talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Following the meeting, the two sides signed a set of agreements spanning energy, defence, technology, trade and maritime cooperation.
During the discussions, Modi reiterated India’s support for safe and uninterrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. He also condemned recent attacks on the UAE and thanked the country for its care and protection of Indians during the Iran war.
A key outcome was the UAE’s commitment to invest Rs 48,000 crore in India. The package includes Rs 28,800 crore in RBL Bank, Rs 9,600 crore for infrastructure projects through the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Rs 9,600 crore via Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company in Sammaan Capital.
On energy, an agreement was signed to raise Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s crude oil storage in India to 30 million barrels, to be managed by the central government’s ISPRL, with India receiving priority in sales. Indian Oil and ADNOC also signed a long-term deal for cooking gas supply.
In maritime cooperation, the two sides agreed to set up a new ship repair facility at Vadinar in Gujarat and launched the ‘Maitri’ virtual trade corridor to digitally link customs and port authorities, aimed at reducing time and costs in cargo movement. In technology, companies from both countries agreed to set up advanced supercomputing clusters expected to support artificial intelligence initiatives. Modi concluded the UAE leg of the trip and departed for the Netherlands.
