UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in New Delhi on January 19, 2026, making a short however extremely symbolic official go to on the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.From the second the UAE chief landed, the tone of the go to was private as a lot as diplomatic. PM Modi broke protocol to obtain Sheikh Mohamed personally on the airport, greeting him with a heat embrace that visually captured the “brotherhood” narrative India and the UAE typically emphasize.
Each leaders then traveled collectively from the airport in the identical automotive, underscoring a relationship that extends effectively past the formalities of statecraft.
Presents offered by India
One of the vital memorable moments of the go to was the gifting ceremony on the Prime Minister’s residence. PM Modi offered the UAE President with a number of conventional Indian presents, every carrying cultural and diplomatic significance:
- Royal Carved Picket Jhula (Swing): A good looking handcrafted swing from Gujarat, richly carved with floral motifs. In Gujarati properties, the jhula stands for household togetherness, dialogue, and shared recollections, a symbolic nod to the bilateral relationship and the UAE’s declaration of 2026 because the Yr of Household.
- Kashmiri Pashmina Scarf in an Ornate Silver Field: Handwoven from the best wool in Kashmir and encased in a silver-crafted field from Telangana, the scarf represents India’s treasured handloom craftsmanship.
- Presents for Sheikh Fatima bint Mubarak: An identical Pashmina scarf and Kashmiri saffron, famed for its deep crimson strands and scent, got to the UAE’s Mom of the Nation, reflecting respect for UAE nationwide heritage and girls’s management roles.
These presents weren’t merely ceremonial, they had been curated to echo values of household, custom, craftsmanship, and heartfelt respect.
Messages that replicate a bond
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the heat and significance of the go to in a publish on X, calling the UAE chief his “brother” and highlighting the energy of bilateral ties.“Went to the airport to welcome my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. His go to illustrates the significance he attaches to a powerful India-UAE friendship. Trying ahead to our discussions.” — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of IndiaEchoing the sentiment, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan described the assembly as a chance to additional deepen cooperation between the 2 nations, with a transparent give attention to future development.“As we speak I used to be happy to fulfill with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi in New Delhi to debate alternatives to additional strengthen the deep-rooted and historic ties of cooperation between our international locations. Dedicated to fostering sustainable improvement and financial development, the UAE and India will proceed working collectively to drive progress in future-focused sectors whereas attaining mutual profit for our nations and peoples.” — Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE
The $200 billion ambition
Whereas the ambiance was festive, the discussions had been strictly future-focused. Constructing on the success of the 2022 Complete Financial Partnership Settlement (CEPA), the 2 leaders set a staggering new objective: doubling bilateral commerce to $200 billion by 2032. To realize this, a number of “new frontier” agreements had been inked:
- Power Safety: A ten-year deal for LNG provide between
ADNOC Gasoline andHPCL beginning in 2028. - Nuclear & Protection: Plans to discover Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and a brand new Strategic Protection Partnership Framework.
- Area & Tech: A collaboration to develop house infrastructure and a supercomputing cluster in India.
Widespread influence
For residents in each the UAE and India, this go to interprets to extra than simply headlines. The give attention to connecting Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by the “Bharat Mart” in Dubai and the “Digital Commerce Hall” means extra native merchandise in your cabinets and extra jobs out there. Moreover, the mixing of India’s DigiLocker with UAE techniques will quickly make it simpler for college kids and professionals to have their educational credentials acknowledged immediately, making the “transfer” between these two brotherly nations smoother than ever.
