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UAE President's "Substantive" India Visit: Modi's Airport Welcome Signals Close Ties

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to New Delhi as short but highly substantive. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received the UAE President at the airport, a special gesture underscoring their close relationship. The leaders held talks at the Prime Minister's residence and oversaw an exchange of documents. The visit, occurring amid regional volatility, highlights the strengthened partnership following the 2022 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Key Points: UAE President's Short, Substantive India Visit: Key Outcomes

  • PM Modi's personal airport reception
  • High-level UAE royal & ministerial delegation
  • Bilateral talks in restricted & expanded formats
  • Exchange of key documents
3 min read

"Short, but extremely substantive visit": Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on UAE President's New Delhi visit

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri details UAE President's high-level India visit, highlighting PM Modi's personal airport reception and substantive bilateral talks.

"short, but extremely substantive visit - Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri"

New Delhi, January 19

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday noted that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has concluded a "short, but extremely substantive" official visit to the national capital, during which he was personally received at the airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held discussions with the Indian side.

Briefing the media here, Misri said, "The President of the UAE has just concluded an official visit to New Delhi. This has been a short, but extremely substantive visit. He was received at the airport personally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is a special gesture that reflects the extremely warm and close relationship that the two leaders share."

Misri added that after the airport reception, the two leaders travelled together to the Prime Minister's residence, where talks were held first in a restricted format and then in an expanded format involving delegation members.

"They then travel together from the airport to the Prime Minister's residence, where discussions were held, both in the restricted format and then expanded format, where delegation members engaged with each other," he said.

He further said that the engagement also included the exchange of documents in the presence of the two leaders.

"A number of documents were also exchanged in the presence of the leaders," Misri added.

Highlighting the significance of the visit, Misri said the importance could also be assessed from the high-level composition of the UAE delegation.

"The importance of this visit can be understood by the composition of the delegation accompanying the president of the UAE. It comprised members of the royal families of both Abu Dhabi as well as the way Dubai, and several senior ministers and officials," he said.

The visit, held as per the schedule released by the Ministry of External Affairs, saw Sheikh Mohamed spending less than two hours in the national capital, with wide-ranging discussions taking place with Prime Minister Modi.

The UAE President's visit came amid a volatile regional environment, including a sharp decline in Iran-US ties, continuing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over Yemen, and an unsettled political situation in Gaza.

This marked Sheikh Mohamed's third official visit to India since assuming office as UAE President and his fifth visit to the country over the past decade.

India and the UAE have witnessed a major rise in bilateral trade and people-to-people ties since the two sides signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
Less than two hours for a state visit! Truly shows that when the intent and agenda are clear, you don't need long ceremonies. Hope the substantive talks yield concrete outcomes, especially on trade and investment. The CEPA has been a game-changer.
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Priya S
The UAE leadership visiting for the third time in such a short span speaks volumes. As an Indian working in Dubai, I feel this partnership directly benefits people like us. Easier visas, more flights, and better protection for workers are tangible results. More power to this friendship!
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Rohit P
While the optics are good, I hope the discussions also covered the regional instability mentioned in the article. The Gulf is our extended neighborhood. India should use its good relations with all sides to advocate for de-escalation and dialogue. That's real statesmanship.
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Karthik V
The delegation had royalty from both Abu Dhabi and Dubai? That's huge. This isn't just a government-to-government meet, it's a whole-of-nation engagement. Expecting big announcements on the IMEEC corridor and Rupee-Dirham trade soon. Jai Hind!
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Meera T
A respectful criticism: I wish the media briefing gave a little more detail about the "documents exchanged" and the actual outcomes. We common citizens hear "substantive visit" but want to know the substance—how will it create jobs, control inflation, or help students? Transparency is key.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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