PM Modi welcomes UAE president at Delhi airport as India-Abu Dhabi strategic ties take centre stage

Writing on X, PM Modi said he went to the airport to receive his “brother His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE”.

Went to the airport to welcome my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. His visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. Looking forward to our discussions.@MohamedBinZayed pic.twitter.com/Os3FRvVrBc

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2026

What Modi and UAE President will talk

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the UAE President’s visit to the national capital is scheduled to last less than two hours. Despite the short duration, the two leaders are expected to hold wide-ranging talks on bilateral and regional issues.

The visit comes at a time of heightened volatility in the Middle East, strained Iran-US relations, ongoing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over Yemen, and the fragile political situation in Gaza. Regional developments are expected to feature prominently in the discussions.

Officials familiar with the visit said trade and investment, defence industrial cooperation and energy partnerships are likely to be high on the agenda. The two sides are also expected to review the growing economic and strategic engagement between the two countries.

UAE President’s 3rd visit

It will be his third official trip to India after becoming President of the UAE and the fifth time he has visited the country in the past decade. India enjoys close diplomatic ties with both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, even as the two Gulf nations increasingly compete for strategic influence in West Asia and Africa, particularly amid the ongoing instability in Yemen.

The two nations rank among each other’s leading trade and investment partners, supported by frameworks such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the Local Currency Settlement (LCS) mechanism and the Bilateral Investment Treaty. India and the UAE also share a strong energy partnership, underpinned by long-term energy supply agreements, the MEA said.