Background of the Visit of PM Modi
(The New World Order: Chapter 4)
UAE was a close ally of West. The Sheikhs would go to England in summer, play Golf and attend evening parties, mingle with royals and then it all ended. The details were summed up here. Things have escalated further after UAE decided to quit OPEC. UAE minister of state for international cooperation, Reem Al Hashimay said that “Energy has been weaponized by Hormuz being taken hostage effectively.” She also effectively summed up the relationship of UAE and India in these words:
We are anticipating, with great excitement, the visit of PM Modi tomorrow, May 15th 2026. He is a key figure of friendship, of a longstanding partnership, and a true treasure to the leadership and to the people of UAE. We are very much looking forward to having him come. Our President, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed was in India in January of this year, as our Crown Prince in February for the AI Summit,……Since PM Modi has taken office, they have been regularly seeing each other a few times a year. So, his presence tomorrow will be part of that continued friendship and relationship and we are very keen and excited to have him come to the UAE,”
In January 2026 UAE President had visited India for a short visit of few hours to sign various agreements. The details were discussed here. In short there were 12 agreements signed. Now is the time to follow up on those.
Strategic Implications of UAE Visit by PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first lap was at UAE for two hours on 15 May 2026 in which UAE and India signed 5 pacts. As anticipated in January 2026, the most important was the agreement on framework for strategic defence partnership between both countries. The ‘Strategic Defence Partnership Framework Agreement’ (signed as a Letter of Intent) signed in January has been finalized now. This strategic defence deal was buried by media in following commercial agreements:
- A strategic collaboration agreement between Indian Oil Company Limited (IOCL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to explore the long-term supply of LPG to India. UAE’s Fujairah gives India an oil and LPG loading point that physically bypasses Hormuz as an immediate crisis solution.
- A MoU between ADNOC and Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) envisages the potential storage of up to 30 million barrels in India’s strategic reserves.
- A MoU between Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and UAE’s Drydocks World (DDW) to create a ship-repair cluster at Vadinar, and another MoU between CSL and DDW focused on skill development in ship repair.
- The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and India’s National Infrastructure and Investment Fund will explore investments of up to $1 billion in Indian infrastructure.
- Emirates NBD will invest $3 billion in India’s RBL Bank. Interestingly even before ink on agreement could dry, Reserve Bank of India gave its statutory permission for investment.
- The leaders welcomed the operationalisation of a virtual trade corridor linking customs and port authorities of both sides to streamline cargo movement, reduce logistics costs and cut transit time.
The last one makes the territorial boundaries between the two countries shrink to minimum on paper for the purpose of free flow of goods for trade.
Defence Partnership
The Strategic Defence Partnership Agreement executed in January 2026, was explained in parliament of India as an agreement ‘to expand the existing bilateral defence cooperation across a number of areas such as defence industrial cooperation, defence innovation, advanced technology in the area of defence, counter-terrorism, threats in the cyberspace domain and training.’
The Press note issued by government of India, does its best to obscure the agreement in these words:
“The framework will strengthen defence industrial cooperation between both countries. It will encourage joint partnerships, co-development, and greater industry engagement. The agreement would also promote innovation and technology sharing in strategic sectors. This will support cooperation in advanced defence manufacturing and capabilities.”
Notice the word ‘technology sharing’. Will UAE and India jointly develop weapons now? Like Akash missile or Shashnag 150, the loitering drone. UAE needs the drone like yesterday in the attacks from Iran.
Background
To recapitulate the past, the two hour stopover on May 15 was neither a visit nor a negotiation. It was a harvest. The seeds were planted in 2018 when India quietly returned Princess Latifa, demonstrating to UAE’s ruling family that India understands sovereign dignity better than West ever could. The crop grew through 2026 as MBZ flew to Delhi in January, signed twelve agreements, anchored UAE’s sovereign data in Indian Digital Embassies, planted UAE’s flag at Dholera with its own port and airport, and began settling silver through GIFT City bypassing London entirely.
UAE has entered in this security agreement with India in respect of naval cooperation, maritime security in the Gulf of Oman, joint patrols near Fujairah, all the while when a fleet of flotilla of USA is stationed near gulf of Oman to attack Iran. Yet the UAE chose this moment to enter the security agreement with India speaks volume about global world order and shifting sands of world power. Remember that in Chapter 1 it was stated as under:
The New World Order is not conspiracy. It is what emerges when 192 nations build alternatives because central systems cannot be trusted.
This is happening between UAE and India. The treaties are a reflection of alternatives and the down playing its wider ramification is the policy of both the nations. There is something about trade routes too but that we will discuss in last part of these articles when we sum up the 5 nation tour.
The debate about ‘New World Order’ is essentially a struggle to decide what the new rules of the game will be. We are currently in the “interregnum” or the messy middle period where the old rules don’t work anymore, but the new ones are being written one by one.
Bottom Line
On May 15, the relationship had outgrown diplomacy to become a partnership. What Modi and MBZ signed was not a commercial agreement. It was the public face of a security architecture already built with energy, data, defence, finance, and trade partnerships. Each pillar quietly erected while the world was watching elsewhere. Now behind the facade of commercial relationships, a serious security and technology partnership has been built. Remember India has no technology sharing partnership with any country except Russia.
UAE is no more formal guest in the dining room. It will be joining India in the kitchen to cook new weapons.
After concluding these strategic agreements, Prime Minister Modi flew to Netherlands for next leg of his trip. We will discuss that in Chapter 5.
References:
- Energy weaponized: https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/energy-has-been-weaponised-by-hormuz-being-taken-hostage-effectively-we-are-responsible-player-in-energy-space-uae-minister20260514222953/
- The Strategic Defence Partnership: https://www.mea.gov.in/lok-sabha.htm?dtl%2F40972%2FQUESTION+NO+5637+INDIAUAE+STRATEGIC+DEFENCE+PARTNERSHIP
- Press Note: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2261611®=3&lang=2
- Report in Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-landed-signed-key-deals-left-uae-all-in-2-hours-full-list-of-pacts-lpg-petroleum-defence-us-iran-war-101778834740218.html
- Sheshnag 150 Drone: https://sandeepbhalla.in/sheshnaag-150-indias-loitering-drone/