Prime Minister Narendra Modi sat down for one-on-one talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS summit, underscoring the deepening strategic partnership between New Delhi and the United Arab Emirates even as regional tensions threaten to complicate multilateral diplomacy.
The meeting took place against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical sensitivity. India currently holds the rotating presidency of BRICS, a grouping that includes both Iran and the UAE — two countries that find themselves increasingly at odds over developments in the broader West Asia region. New Delhi has long maintained delicate diplomatic balancing acts between its historic ties with Tehran and its rapidly expanding economic and energy partnership with Abu Dhabi.
Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the bilateral talks covered a range of issues including energy cooperation, trade, investment flows, and the shared concern over stability in West Asia. The UAE is one of India's largest trading partners and a critical source of oil imports, while India remains a key market for Emirati goods and services.
Diplomatic observers noted that India's challenge as BRICS chair will be to ensure the bloc can speak with a unified voice on regional matters without letting bilateral disputes between member nations fracture the grouping's cohesion. Both Iran and the UAE have been vocal in their positions on conflicts across the Middle East, and India has repeatedly called for de-escalation and dialogue.
The meeting also highlighted the personal rapport between Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, who have met multiple times in recent years to strengthen ties in areas ranging from renewable energy to counter-terrorism cooperation.
