- January 19, 2026
PM Modi, UAE President Condemn Cross-Border Terror, Boost Nuclear Ties At ‘Short, Substantive’ Meet
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India and the UAE agreed to deepen nuclear and energy ties and signed key agreements during a brief but high-level meeting in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a meeting, at PM’s residence in New Delhi. (IMAGE: PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday held discussions in both restricted and expanded formats at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, with the two sides condemning cross-border terrorism and agreeing to deepen cooperation across nuclear energy, defence, infrastructure and emerging technologies.
The two leaders strongly condemned cross-border terrorism and reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms, officials said. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the UAE President’s visit as “short but extremely substantive”, noting that it lasted around three hours and included members of the royal families of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar saw off the UAE President at the airport following the conclusion of the visit.
Among the key outcomes of the talks was the signing of a Letter of Intent between India and the UAE to work towards concluding a strategic defence partnership, signalling deeper cooperation in the defence sector.
Civil Nuclear Cooperation
The two leaders agreed to promote bilateral civil nuclear cooperation and explore partnerships in advanced nuclear technologies, including large nuclear reactors and small modular reactors. They also discussed cooperation in nuclear power plant operations, maintenance and nuclear safety, following the enactment of India’s SHANTI law.
Strategic Defence Partnership
The two sides agreed to enhance defence and security cooperation as a core pillar of the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, welcoming the signing of a Letter of Intent towards the conclusion of a Strategic Defence Partnership.
Dholera Investment Cooperation
A Letter of Intent on investment cooperation was signed between the Government of Gujarat and the UAE Ministry of Investment for the development of the Dholera Special Investment Region. The proposed partnership covers strategic infrastructure projects including an international airport, pilot training facilities, maintenance, repair and overhaul infrastructure, ports, rail connectivity and energy infrastructure.
Space Cooperation
India and the UAE also signed a Letter of Intent between the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre and the UAE Space Agency to enable joint initiatives in space industry development and commercial collaboration.
HPCL–ADNOC Gas Agreement
In the energy sector, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and ADNOC Gas signed a 10-year Sales and Purchase Agreement for the supply of liquefied natural gas, beginning in 2028. Officials said the UAE has emerged as India’s second-largest supplier of LNG.
Food Security And Climate Cooperation
An MoU was signed between APEDA and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment on food safety and technical requirements, aimed at strengthening cooperation in food security and agricultural trade.
Technology, AI And Digital Infrastructure
The two sides agreed to establish a supercomputing cluster in India and explore cooperation in data centres and the establishment of digital or data embassies. The UAE also confirmed its participation in India’s upcoming Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit.
GIFT City And Trade Targets
On the economic front, the two countries set a target to double bilateral trade to USD 200 billion by 2032. UAE companies First Abu Dhabi Bank and DP World announced plans to set up offices and operations at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, strengthening financial and logistics linkages.
Culture And People-To-People Ties
The two sides agreed to establish a ‘House of India’ in Abu Dhabi as a cultural space showcasing Indian art, heritage and archaeology, and to promote youth exchanges to deepen people-to-people ties.
January 19, 2026, 21:10 IST
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