Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed Abu Dhabi on 15 May for the Netherlands after concluding a brief but substantive visit to the UAE, with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally seeing him off at the airport — an honour typically reserved for the closest bilateral relationships. The two leaders shared a warm embrace before Modi boarded the aircraft.

Modi's Own Words on the Visit

Prime Minister Modi described the stopover as “short but highly productive” in a post on X. “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,” he wrote.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal echoed that framing, posting on X: “Brief in duration, significant in outcomes!” and confirming that the Netherlands is the next stop on Modi’s five-country tour.

Key Outcomes: Investment, Energy and Defence

The visit produced a clutch of concrete agreements. On the investment front, both leaders welcomed USD 5 billion in UAE commitments to India, comprising USD 3 billion by the Emirates New Development Bank (ENDB) into RBL Bank, USD 1 billion by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) with the National Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF) for priority infrastructure, and USD 1 billion by the International Holding Company in Sammaan Capital.

On energy, the two sides concluded a Strategic Collaboration Agreement between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to raise UAE’s participation in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves to 30 million barrels, and agreed to work on establishing strategic gas reserves in India. A separate arrangement between Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and ADNOC on long-term LPG supplies was also formalised.

A landmark Framework for Strategic Defence Partnership was signed, covering defence industrial collaboration, innovation and advanced technology, maritime security, cyber defence, and secure communications — signalling a qualitative upgrade in bilateral security ties.

Digital Infrastructure and Maritime Cooperation

Beyond traditional sectors, the two nations agreed on a Term Sheet for setting up eight Exaflop Super Compute Clusters in partnership between CDAC, India and G-42, UAE. The leaders also welcomed the operationalisation of the Virtual Trade Corridor using the MAITRI (Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface) digital framework, which connects customs and port authorities on both sides to streamline cargo movement and cut transit costs.

In maritime cooperation, a MoU between Cochin Shipyard Limited and Drydocks World, Dubai was signed to set up a Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar. A tripartite MoU among Cochin Shipyard, Drydocks World Dubai, and the Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS) was also concluded to develop and deploy a skilled maritime workforce, positioning India as a hub for shipbuilding and ship repair expertise.

Regional Security and Strategic Messaging

The bilateral agenda extended to geopolitics. According to the MEA statement, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s “strong condemnation of the attacks on the UAE” and conveyed solidarity with the UAE’s leadership and people. He also reiterated India’s position in favour of “safe transit passage and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz” — a waterway critical to regional energy and food security. The two leaders separately reviewed developments in West Asia and other global issues.

With the Abu Dhabi leg concluded, Prime Minister Modi heads to the Netherlands as part of his ongoing five-country tour, and the agreements signed on Friday are expected to set the agenda for implementation reviews in the months ahead.