India and the United Arab Emirates on Friday signed several key agreements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Abu Dhabi, including pacts on strategic defence cooperation, energy supply and investments worth $5 billion in Indian infrastructure, RBL Bank and Samman Capital.
The agreements included a framework for a bilateral strategic defence partnership, supply of LPG and strategic petroleum reserves, and the establishment of a ship repair cluster at Vadinar.
During delegation-level talks, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s support for the UAE and stressed the importance of peace and stability in the region.
“India stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the UAE in every situation, and it will continue to do so. For the restoration of peace and stability, India will extend all possible cooperation,” he said.
The Prime Minister said it was essential to keep the Strait of Hormuz ‘free and open’ and underlined the need to respect international laws.
PM Modi thanked UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for strengthening bilateral ties and said India-UAE cooperation had become increasingly significant amid current global challenges.
“I extend heartfelt gratitude to you for taking our comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights. During your visit to India in January, we agreed to qualitatively upgrade our relations,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister noted that the impact of the conflict in West Asia was being felt globally and reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy remain the best path to resolving disputes.
PM Modi arrived in the UAE earlier in the day and received a ceremonial welcome before holding bilateral talks with the UAE President, popularly known as MBZ.
The UAE visit marks the first leg of PM Modi’s five-nation tour from May 15 to 20, which also includes the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
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