NEW DELHI / RankWire.AI / – On September 12, in New Delhi, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The session aimed to explore ways to deepen the relationship between the UAE and India and to broaden cooperation across key sectors. Their meeting took place at Hyderabad House during the 18th BRICS Summit. Focus areas included economic integration, investment, and the broadening of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.
The leaders examined cooperation under the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, known as CEPA. Discussions also covered enduring political, commercial, cultural, energy, and people-to-people links. Both parties explored opportunities to enhance collaboration in sectors that have become central to their bilateral relations. The dialogue further addressed mutual interests as the governments maintained ongoing engagement in economic and strategic domains.
Sheikh Khaled represented the UAE at the BRICS Summit on behalf of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Modi acknowledged the UAE’s involvement during India’s 2026 BRICS presidency. The two leaders agreed to continue working within the group on shared priorities and initiatives. They also recalled Sheikh Mohamed’s visit to India in January 2026 and Modi’s visit to the UAE in May 2026.
Growth in Investment and Strategic Collaboration
The discussion emphasized a surge in investment activity between the two countries. The leaders welcomed the announcement by International Holding Company of an $11.5 billion integrated greenfield aluminium project in Odisha, described as India’s largest of its kind. Additionally, they discussed the role of L’Imad, the UAE’s latest sovereign fund, in bolstering bilateral investments and economic cooperation in sectors identified by both governments.
Opportunities in defence, space, nuclear energy, technology, and innovation were also explored, complementing existing cooperation in energy, manufacturing, logistics, electronics, and engineering. These discussions underscored the expanding scope of the UAE-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2017, with both nations extending cooperation beyond traditional trade and energy into technology-intensive and capital-heavy industries.
Trade Between the UAE and India Surpasses $100 Billion
Trade volume between the two countries reached a record $101.25 billion during India’s 2025-26 fiscal year. The UAE was India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export market, with Indian exports to the UAE totaling over $37.35 billion. During the UAE president’s visit to India in January 2026, both nations committed to increasing bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032, building on growth since CEPA’s implementation.
The UAE-India CEPA, which came into effect on May 1, 2022, following their signing in February, eliminated or reduced tariffs on more than 80% of covered products for UAE exporters to India. It also expanded market access for services and addressed technical trade barriers. This high-level engagement underlines the ongoing collaboration to strengthen commercial, investment, and strategic ties within existing bilateral frameworks.