PM Modi Receives UAE President Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan At Delhi Airport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Delhi airport during the latter’s brief visit to India on Monday, underscoring the importance of the strategic partnership between the two nations.

The visit came at a time of heightened tensions in West Asia, marked by strained Iran-US relations, ongoing instability in Gaza, and unresolved conflict in Yemen involving Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Officials said regional developments are likely to be discussed during the talks, and several MoUs are likely to be signed.

#BreakingNews | UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to land in Delhi, PM Modi to receive him shortly@siddhantvm gets you more details #UAE #PMModi | @JamwalNews18 pic.twitter.com/J2JxExGQZW

— News18 (@CNNnews18) January 19, 2026

PM Modi will host Al Nahyan at his official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in the evening. The UAE President will only be in India for a few hours for his crucial visit and will depart on Monday. The meeting between the two leaders was earlier finalised in December 2025, but was delayed.

Both leaders are expected to sign agreements on investments in special economic zones, food security and nuclear cooperation. The situation in West Asia is also expected to feature prominently in discussions with the Indian leadership.

This is Sheikh Mohamed’s third official visit to India since taking office as president and his fifth visit to the country in the past decade.

India and the UAE have seen a sharp rise in bilateral trade and people-to-people ties since signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022. The agreement has helped boost trade flows and investment between the two nations.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit builds on recent high-level exchanges, including the visit of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in September 2024. It also follows the visit of UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to India in April last year.

The MEA said the visit will allow both leaders to chart new directions for the strategic partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest. “It will also enable an exchange of views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, where India and the UAE share a high degree of convergence,” it added.