The visit, taking place at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the Crown Prince’s first in his official capacity and is expected to bolster bilateral ties in areas ranging from trade and investment to cultural and defence cooperation.
In a major diplomatic and economic milestone, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for his first official visit to India. His two-day tour signals a deepening of the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across multiple fronts.
The Crown Prince was received at the Palam Airport with a ceremonial guard of honour and a musical performance. Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum, Suresh Gopi, formally welcomed him on behalf of the Indian government. Senior Indian officials were also present to greet the visiting dignitary.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the visit “a significant milestone in India-UAE relations,” noting the ceremonial welcome and high-level engagements planned during the trip.
The visit comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hosted a working lunch for Sheikh Hamdan on Tuesday, providing a platform to discuss mutual cooperation in areas such as trade, defence, technology, and innovation. Sheikh Hamdan is accompanied by several senior ministers and a high-powered business delegation, underlining the growing economic partnership between the two nations.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met the Crown Prince and posted on X: “Delighted to welcome Crown Prince of Dubai and DPM & Minister of Defence of UAE… Value his positive sentiments for our wide-ranging cooperation and vibrant ties.”
The Crown Prince will next travel to Mumbai, where he will participate in a business roundtable involving top Indian and Emirati business leaders. Discussions are expected to focus on expanding bilateral trade and investment in traditional sectors like energy and infrastructure, as well as in emerging areas such as fintech, clean energy, and innovation.
Dubai has played a pivotal role in India-UAE ties, serving as a hub for over 4.3 million Indians living in the Emirates—one of the world’s largest overseas communities. This visit is expected to boost both institutional collaboration and people-to-people linkages, building on the historic momentum of Prime Minister Modi’s 2015 visit to the UAE.
With strategic, economic, and cultural dimensions at play, Sheikh Hamdan’s visit marks another chapter in the evolving story of India-UAE relations—one that is increasingly shaping the geopolitical and commercial landscape of the region.
The UAE has been one of India’s most important economic partners in the Middle East, and bilateral trade has seen steady growth in recent years. The signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022 significantly boosted trade volumes, and the current visit is expected to explore further investment opportunities under the agreement’s framework.
During his January visit to the UAE earlier this year, Jaishankar personally delivered Modi’s invitation to Sheikh Hamdan, highlighting the mutual interest in expanding collaboration. After their meeting in Dubai, Jaishankar wrote on social media platform X: “Delighted to meet Crown Prince of Dubai and DPM and Minister of Defence of UAE HH Hamdan Mohammed. A warm conversation on our deep bonds of friendship and taking them forward for the good of our people.”
The Crown Prince’s visit is expected to focus not only on economic diplomacy but also on enhancing people-to-people ties, including collaborations in education, technology and healthcare. Analysts view the visit as an important signal of continuity in India’s strategic outreach to the Gulf region at a time of global economic realignment.
As India emerges as a global investment destination and the UAE consolidates its position as a key player in West Asia, both sides are keen to translate their close political ties into tangible economic outcomes. The Crown Prince’s engagements in Mumbai are likely to lead to several bilateral agreements or memorandums of understanding, strengthening the architecture of cooperation across multiple domains.
His visit also comes in the backdrop of increased cooperation in defence and security. Over the past year, India and the UAE have intensified joint exercises, counter-terrorism cooperation, and maritime security dialogues, indicating a more comprehensive security partnership.
With strategic, economic, and cultural dimensions on the agenda, Sheikh Hamdan’s trip is being closely watched as a potential springboard for a new phase in India–UAE relations.
