UAE President Al Nahyan in India: What’s on Agenda and Why the Visit Matters

President

of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit India on Monday to discuss ways to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, the Indian government said.The visit comes at a time of heightened uncertainty in the Middle East, marked by a sharp downturn in relations between Iran and the United States, ongoing instability in Gaza and regional tensions linked to Yemen.At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the UAE president will pay an official visit to India on Jan. 19, the Ministry of External Affairs said. It will be Al Nahyan’s third official visit to India since assuming office and his fifth trip to the country over the past decade.

Officials familiar with the visit said trade and investment, defence industry cooperation and energy initiatives are expected to feature prominently in the talks with the Indian leadership. Regional and global issues of mutual interest are also likely to be discussed.India and the UAE have seen a significant expansion in bilateral ties in recent years, particularly after signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022. The pact has helped boost trade and investment flows, while people-to-people contacts have also grown steadily.The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit builds on momentum created by recent high-level exchanges, including trips to India by senior UAE leaders over the past two years.“India and the UAE share warm, close, and multi-faceted relations, underpinned by strong political, cultural, and economic ties,” the ministry said in a statement.

The two countries are among each other’s top trading and investment partners, supported by mechanisms such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, a local currency settlement system and a bilateral investment treaty, the ministry said.India and the UAE also maintain a strong energy partnership, including long-term energy supply arrangements that are seen as key to India’s energy security.“The visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to chart new frontiers for the India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership,” the ministry said.“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.(With inputs from agencies)