Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, embarked on a two-day maiden visit to India on Sunday, aiming to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two nations. His visit, marked by a ceremonial welcome at the Delhi airport, highlights the significance India attaches to the strengthening of ties with the UAE.
The Crown Prince’s trip is expected to focus on enhancing collaboration in key areas such as energy and connectivity. He is accompanied by several ministers from the UAE government and a business delegation, indicating a strong focus on promoting economic partnerships. The visit comes at a crucial juncture, with India and the UAE enjoying a robust and multifaceted relationship.
The Crown Prince’s visit is set to culminate in talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled for Monday. The UAE’s invitation as a special invitee to the G20 during India’s Presidency further underscores the close relationship between the two nations. Bilateral ties between India and the UAE witnessed a significant elevation in August 2015 after Prime Minister Modi’s landmark visit, establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The two countries have further solidified their economic partnership through the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 and the Local Currency Settlement (LCS) System in July 2023, promoting the use of Indian Rupee and AED (United Arab Emirates Dirham) for cross-border transactions. The MEA expressed that the Crown Prince’s visit will further strengthen the ties between the two countries, opening avenues for collaboration in emerging areas.
India and the UAE are prominent trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching approximately USD 85 billion in 2022-23. Notably, the UAE emerged as one of the top four investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments in 2022-23. This visit is poised to further boost economic cooperation and investment flows between the two nations.
