“PM Modi’s UAE visit will focus on energy security”: Sources

New Delhi [India], May 13 (ANI): During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to UAE, one of the key areas of focus will be energy security, sources told ANI. Two important MoUs in the areas of LPG and Strategic Petroleum Reserves are likely to be concluded during this visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be undertaking a five-nation tour from 15 to 20 May, which includes the United Arab Emirates and four European nations: the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy. The Prime Minister will begin his visit in the UAE on 15 May, where he will meet the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. They will exchange views on bilateral relations–in particular, energy cooperation–as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George during the Special Briefing by MEA on the Prime Minister’s visit to UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy earlier in the day said, “There are regular high-level exchanges between both countries. You would recall that the UAE President paid an official visit to India on 19 January this year. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khalid, also visited India in February this year to participate in the AI Impact Summit. We share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the UAE, which has continued to deepen in all spheres. During the visit, both leaders will discuss avenues to further deepen bilateral ties in areas including trade, investment, energy, culture, and people-to-people connectivity. Discussions will also focus on strengthening our energy security, which is an important aspect of our relationship. We have a community of over 4.5 million Indians in the UAE, which serves as a living bridge for our relationship.”

MEA Additional Secretary (Gulf), Aseem R Mahajan said during the briefing that India and the UAE have several agreements on LNG.

“We share a very vibrant partnership with the UAE in the area of energy. Last year, the UAE was the fourth largest source of crude oil, meeting nearly 11 percent of our requirement. In the area of LNG, Indian companies and the UAE Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC Gas) have entered into long-term supply contracts for a cumulative of 4.5 MMTPA LNG to India. Recent contracts include agreements between IOCL, GAIL, and ADNOC signed in February 2024, as well as a 10-year agreement between HPCL and ADNOC Gas beginning in 2028. This makes India the biggest buyer of UAE’s LNG,” he said.

“The UAE is also the largest source of LPG for India, meeting nearly 40% of our requirement. Indian companies have also invested over US dollars 1.2 billion in the upstream sector in the UAE. In January 2026, BPRL confirmed an oil discovery in Abu Dhabi’s onshore Block 1. These are the first-of-their-kind upstream investments by India in the region. The UAE is also the first country to partner with India in the strategic petroleum reserves. In 2018, ISPRL and ADNOC entered into an agreement for the UAE to store over 5 million barrels of crude oil in the Mangalore facility,” Mahahjan added.

Mahajan noted that UAE is also an active founding member of the Global Biofuels Alliance launched during India’s presidency of the G20.

“India and UAE are also expanding cooperation in renewable energy. An agreement was signed between Masdar and the government of Rajasthan in October 2024 for setting up 60 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity. UAE is also an active founding member of the Global Biofuels Alliance launched during India’s presidency of the G20,” he said. (ANI)

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