New Delhi: Marking a historic visit to India, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence of the UAE, met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday.
During the meeting, Sheikh Hamdan conveyed the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court.
After receiving a warm welcome, Sheikh Hamdan discussed with Modi the future of their bilateral partnership and ways to further deepen strategic ties, which are marked by a shared vision for the future.
Sheikh Hamdan, accompanied by a high-level delegation, is on a two-day visit, which coincides with the Dubai-India Business Forum in Mumbai.
Shaping a prosperous region
“Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE-India ties, which are built on trust, shaped by history, and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation, and lasting prosperity,” he wrote on his official X account, which was also posted in Hindi.
Meanwhile, Modi extended his greetings to the UAE leadership and expressed his hopes for continued progress and prosperity for the nation and its people.
“Dubai has played a key role in advancing the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This special visit reaffirms our deep-rooted friendship and paves the way for even stronger collaboration in the future,” Modi wrote on X.
The leaders underscored the significance of further strengthening ties, building on their long-standing relationship and shared development goals.
Sheikh Hamdan also attended a luncheon hosted by Modi, highlighting the friendly relations and mutual respect shared by both countries.
Greater gains in next step
Sheikh Hamdan expressed confidence that the next phase of cooperation would bring even greater gains across a range of strategic areas, including investment, trade, tourism, industry, infrastructure, logistics, energy, food security, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and space. He noted that the partnership covers vital sectors such as healthcare, education, defence, and other key areas on both countries’ development agendas.
Sheikh Hamdan acknowledged the valuable contributions of the Indian community to the development of the UAE and highlighted the UAE’s efforts to provide an inclusive environment for all residents.
Economic transformation
Praising India’s economic transformation under Modi’s leadership, Sheikh Hamdan looked forward to evolving the bilateral partnership to address global challenges and tap into emerging opportunities. The two sides stressed the importance of offering strong incentives for greater investment and launching new joint ventures by leveraging the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the Bilateral Investment Treaty signed by the two countries. The meeting also addressed the need to boost mutual investment and encourage closer collaboration between the UAE and Indian private sectors.
Sheikh Hamdan met Dr S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, to review the strong and long-standing bilateral ties and explore ways to further strengthen cooperation across a wide range of sectors. He commended India’s engagement on the international stage and its efforts to encourage constructive global dialogue.
Meeting with Defence Minister
Sheikh Hamdan met Rajnath Singh, India’s Defence Minister, and discussed avenues to strengthen defence and military cooperation. The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in vital areas, including defence industries, military training, skills development, and technology transfer. Officials also discussed launching joint projects to enhance overall defence capabilities in line with the countries’ shared interest in strengthening their strategic partnership.
After the meetings, Sheikh Hamdan took to X to express his appreciation for the warm welcome.
“From defence to diplomacy, the UAE and India share a dynamic and strategic partnership. Together, we look forward to shaping a more secure and prosperous region,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote.
