India-UAE ties deepen as PM Modi seals strategic defence, oil reserve deals

It was a brief visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, but it yielded big returns for New Delhi. The visit produced a series of strategic and economic gains for India, with the two countries announcing defence, energy and infrastructure agreements along with investment commitments worth billions of dollars.

The PM's visit to Abu Dhabi came at a time of geopolitical churn in West Asia and continued uncertainty in global energy markets. Against the backdrop of the ongoing regional conflict and concerns over disruption to critical shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, both sides stressed the need for stability, connectivity and economic resilience.

Key agreements and announcements:

. A consensus was reached between India and the UAE on a Strategic Defence Partnership Framework Agreement. This partnership will extend to areas



such as the defense industry, cyber security, counter-terrorism, innovation, and interoperability.

. An MoU was signed regarding Strategic Petroleum Reserves, which will further bolster India's energy security.

. An agreement was reached concerning the long-term supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The UAE already ranks among India's leading suppliers of crude oil and LNG.

. An MoU was signed for the establishment of a Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar in Gujarat.

. The UAE announced an investment of US $5 billion in India. This investment will be directed toward the Indian infrastructure sector, RBL Bank, and Sammaan Capital.

. The growing partnership between India and the UAE is regarded as immensely significant in terms of India's strategic presence in West Asia and its energy security.