Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Abu Dhabi for a day-long visit to strengthen the multifaceted bilateral ties between India and the UAE. This is his fifth visit to the UAE, and he was warmly welcomed by UAE’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During his visit, PM Modi will have talks with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The two countries are engaged across various sectors such as trade, investments, energy, food security, science and technology, education, fintech, defense, security, and robust people-to-people ties.

Energy, food security, and defense are expected to be the focus areas of Modi’s visit to the UAE. The UAE is India’s second-largest trading partner, with a bilateral trade of over USD 84 billion. It is also India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination. The UAE was the fourth-largest source of FDI for India in 2022-23. Furthermore, the UAE is a key partner for India’s energy security, being India’s third-largest source of crude oil and second-largest source of LNG and LPG.

The Indian expatriate community in the UAE is the largest ethnic community, constituting roughly 30% of the country’s population. According to UAE records, the number of resident Indian Nationals was estimated to be 3.5 million in 2021. Yoga and Indian cinema are immensely popular in the UAE.

Modi’s visit to the UAE comes after his successful visit to France, where he joined French President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade and signed several agreements to strengthen bilateral ties. Modi was honored with the ‘Order of Zayed,’ the UAE’s highest civilian award, in 2019 for his efforts to boost bilateral ties between the two nations.

The visit aims to further enhance the cooperation between India and the UAE in various sectors and strengthen the partnership between the two nations.