PM Modi welcomes UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in Delhi, highlighting India-UAE friendship amid regional tensions.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Delhi today, sharing images of the leaders hugging at the airport. PM Modi referred to the visit on X, saying he had gone “to the airport to welcome my brother.”
He added, “His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. Looking forward to our discussions.” The two leaders were later seen travelling together in the same car from the airport.
Went to the airport to welcome my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. His visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. Looking forward to our discussions.@MohamedBinZayed pic.twitter.com/Os3FRvVrBc
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2026
The brief three-hour visit comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia, including strained Iran-US relations, ongoing instability in Gaza, and the unresolved Yemen conflict involving Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the visit is being held at PM Modi’s invitation and builds on the momentum from recent high-level engagements, including the September 2024 visit of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and the April 2025 visit of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of the UAE and Crown Prince of Dubai.
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Sheikh Mohamed’s visit coincides with major regional developments, including US President Trump’s preparation to launch Phase 2 of the Gaza Peace Plan, which aims to establish a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
This marks Sheikh Mohamed’s third official visit to India as UAE president and his fifth visit to the country in the past decade, underscoring the continuity of high-level engagement and strong bilateral ties between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.