NEW DELHI: Amid heightened geopolitical churn in West Asia and shifting global energy dynamics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make a stopover in the UAE in mid-May en route to a four-nation European tour. The visit highlights the growing strategic importance of India-UAE ties at a time of regional uncertainty.
The planned stopover comes months after UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to India in January and follows sustained high-level engagement between the two countries.
In April, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had both travelled to the UAE, signalling New Delhi’s continued diplomatic outreach to the Gulf nation.
During his meeting with the UAE President, Doval had reviewed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discussed regional security and energy concerns.
The talks, attended by Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reflected shared anxieties over regional stability amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, including uncertainty around US-Iran engagements and disruptions in the key energy corridor of Strait of Hormuz.
Jaishankar’s visit reinforced the growing salience in bilateral ties despite a complex and evolving regional landscape. India’s outreach had also extended to Saudi Arabia, highlighting a broader effort to maintain balance and secure strategic interests across the Gulf.
The UAE’s evolving regional posture, including its exit from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and reported frictions over oil policy, has added another layer of complexity. Differences with Saudi Arabia, alongside shifting alignments involving Pakistan and the United States, are reshaping energy and security equations in the region.
Against this backdrop, India-UAE cooperation has gained greater urgency, particularly in ensuring stable energy supplies. While energy remains central, the bilateral relationship has expanded significantly under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.
The UAE is currently India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination, with exports exceeding $36.6 billion in 2024–25. India, in turn, is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner.
Both sides are targeting $200 billion in bilateral trade by 2032, with a diversified basket that includes petroleum products, gems and jewellery, food items, textiles, chemicals and engineering goods.
Iran FM dials Jaishankar
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday evening dialled External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss the West Asia crisis, days after his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said: “Received a phone call from Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi of Iran this evening. Had a detailed conversation about various aspects of the current situation.”