Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

India's prime minister visits the UAE, showcasing deep ties

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, showcasing deep ties between the major trade partners

Via AP news wire
Tuesday 28 June 2022 17:11 BST

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, showcasing deep ties between the major trade partners.

From the oil-rich capital of Abu Dhabi, Modi offered condolences on the death of the long-ailing late President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He congratulated Sheikh Mohammed on his elevation to power after nearly a decade as de facto leader, the UAE's state-run WAM news agency reported, without elaborating on discussions it said sought to “push bilateral relations forward.”

Modi flew to the sheikhdom from the Group of 7 summit in Germany and was set to leave later Tuesday.

The two countries have become mutually dependent over the years. For India, the Gulf Arab state is a significant source of oil and its third-largest export destination after the United States and China, with exports reaching nearly $16 billion for 2020-21. Indian wheat and other food exports are particularly important for the arid desert nation.

The UAE is also home to more than 3 million Indians who send home billions of dollars in remittances every year — outnumbering its local population of 1 million Emiratis. The expat workers help power the federation's economy, providing services ranging from cab-driving and child care to information technology and construction.

In their meeting, Sheikh Mohammed praised the contributions of the Indian community in developing the UAE.

Earlier this year, the two countries signed a free trade deal that is expected to roughly double bilateral non-oil trade to $100 billion within five years. India is already the UAE's second-largest trade partner.

The deal aims to add $8.9 billion to the UAE's gross domestic product and boost its exports by 1.5% in the next decade, Emirati officials say.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in