Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a curated selection of India's finest GI-tagged produce and traditional crafts to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to Abu Dhabi as part of a five-nation tour. The gifts — spanning Kesar Mangoes, a Rogan Painting featuring the Tree of Life motif, and Meghalaya pineapples — were chosen to reflect India's cultural depth and artisanal heritage.

Gifts to the UAE President

Kesar Mango, a GI-tagged variety from Gujarat's Junagadh district and popularly dubbed the 'Queen of Mangoes,' is prized for its saffron-hued, fibreless pulp and intense fragrance. It holds a ceremonial place in Gujarati culture, most notably through the tradition of 'Aamras' feasts that embody the region's hospitality.

The Rogan Painting gifted to the President features the Tree of Life, a motif drawn from the rare textile art tradition of Gujarat's Kutch region. In Rogan art, the Tree of Life symbolises interconnectedness, renewal, and continuity — values that, as the gesture implies, resonate with the ethos of the United Arab Emirates.

The Meghalaya pineapples, also GI-tagged, are cultivated in the hilly terrains of Northeast India and are internationally recognised for their high sugar content, low acidity, and nutritional density, including elevated levels of bromelain, Vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Gifts to the UAE Queen Mother

Modi presented three distinct gifts to the UAE Queen Mother: a Karimnagar Filigree box, Maheshwari silk fabric, and Chak Hao Rice.

The Karimnagar Filigree box is a silver chest crafted using the nakkashi metalcraft tradition's repousse technique, in which intricate motifs are hand-hammered into silver sheets. The chest depicts a ceremonial elephant procession with a royal howdah — a symbol of prestige in Indian culture.

Maheshwari silk, originating in Maheshwar on the banks of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, is a handloom fabric woven with a silk warp and cotton weft, celebrated for its reversible borders known as 'Bugdi.' The tradition is historically linked to Queen Ahilyabai Holkar, the 18th-century ruler who made Maheshwar a hub of craftsmanship.

Chak Hao Rice — Manipur's famed 'Black Rice' — was once reserved for royalty and ceremonial occasions. It is valued today for its dietary fibre, iron content, antioxidants, and slow-digesting carbohydrates.

Gifts to the UAE Crown Prince

Modi gifted Mithila Makhana and a ceremonial dagger with Koftgari work to UAE Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan.

Mithila Makhana, or fox nut, is a GI-tagged product from the Mithila region of Bihar, harvested from freshwater wetlands and known for its protein content, minerals, and antioxidants.

The Koftgari dagger — crafted by Sikligar artisans and traditional metalworkers in Udaipur, Rajasthan — features fine gold and silver wires inlaid onto steel in floral and geometric patterns. Once patronised by Rajput courts, the craft has historically transformed weapons into emblems of refinement. The gift draws a deliberate parallel with the Emirati Khanjar tradition, underscoring the shared cultural appreciation between the two nations.

Diplomatic Significance

The selection of gifts was notably deliberate — each item either carries a GI tag or represents a living craft tradition at risk of decline. This is consistent with Modi's established diplomatic practice of using artisanal gifts to amplify India's soft-power projection, particularly with Gulf partners. India–UAE ties have deepened significantly over the past decade, encompassing trade, energy, and diaspora diplomacy, and the gift exchange reinforces that trajectory at a personal level.