Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held wide-ranging bilateral talks with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, reaffirming the deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.
The meeting focused on reviewing the entire spectrum of India-UAE relations, with both leaders expressing satisfaction over the steady expansion of cooperation across political, economic and strategic domains over the past decade. They underlined that the partnership has gained momentum through sustained high-level engagement and people-centric initiatives.
Prime Minister Modi and President Al Nahyan highlighted the recent visits to India by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, noting that these engagements reflected generational continuity and long-term vision in bilateral ties.
The two leaders also endorsed the outcomes of key institutional mechanisms, including the 13th High-Level Task Force on Investments held in September 2025 and the 16th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting along with the 5th Strategic Dialogue convened in December 2025. These platforms, they noted, have played a crucial role in driving cooperation in priority sectors.
Trade and economic ties featured prominently during the discussions. Both sides welcomed the strong growth in bilateral commerce following the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022. Bilateral trade touched a landmark figure of USD 100 billion in the financial year 2024–25, reflecting growing confidence among businesses in both countries.
Building on this momentum, the leaders agreed to set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade to USD 200 billion by 2032. To achieve this, they emphasized the need to strengthen linkages between Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India and the UAE. They called for faster implementation of flagship initiatives such as Bharat Mart, the Virtual Trade Corridor and Bharat-Africa Setu, aimed at enhancing market access for MSME products across West Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Eurasian region.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi personally received President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival in New Delhi, underlining the warmth and importance attached to the visit.
