External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar welcomed UAE’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on his first official visit to India on Tuesday.
In a post on X, Jaishankar expressed his pleasure at receiving the Crown Prince and highlighted the positive sentiment regarding the wide-ranging cooperation and vibrant ties between the two nations. “Delighted to welcome Crown Prince of Dubai and DPM & Minister of Defence of UAE HH @HamdanMohammed at the start of his first official visit to India. Value his positive sentiments for our wide-ranging cooperation and vibrant ties,” the External Affairs Minister wrote.
The Crown Prince’s visit, which will run from April 8 to 9, marks a new chapter in the growing strategic and economic ties between India and the UAE. Upon his arrival in New Delhi, the Crown Prince was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. He was received by Union Minister of State for Tourism & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, at the Palam Airport.
This visit is significant, as it is the first official trip of the Crown Prince to India in his current capacity. He is accompanied by senior government officials, ministers, and a prominent business delegation, reflecting the expanding depth of the India-UAE partnership. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the Crown Prince’s visit is expected to further strengthen strategic cooperation between the two countries.
As part of his visit, the Crown Prince will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for discussions on enhancing bilateral ties. He will also hold separate talks with key Indian ministers, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
In addition to his engagements in the capital, the Crown Prince will travel to Mumbai, where he will participate in a business roundtable with leading business figures from both India and the UAE. The roundtable is expected to focus on boosting trade and investment in traditional sectors like infrastructure and energy, as well as emerging fields such as fintech, innovation, and sustainability.
Dubai has long served as a key hub for India’s commercial and cultural exchanges with the UAE, with the Indian diaspora playing an integral role in strengthening ties. With over 4.3 million Indians living in the UAE, a majority of whom reside in Dubai, the people-to-people connections between the two nations remain a strong foundation for bilateral relations.
The visit is also expected to further elevate the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, expanding both institutional and grassroots-level ties between India and Dubai. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were formally established in 1972, and bilateral engagements have grown significantly, particularly since Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit to the UAE in 2015.
(With ANI inputs)
