Modi to begin UAE and Europe tour amid Middle East supply disruptions

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin a multi-country trip this week, travelling to the United Arab Emirates and four European countries, India’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

According to the ministry, Modi will start the visit in the UAE on Friday. The statement said the Gulf country is home to a 4.5 million-strong Indian community. During the stop, Modi is scheduled to meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with energy cooperation expected to feature prominently as global supplies remain under strain because of the war in the Middle East.

“The visit will serve to promote the significant trade and investment linkages between the two countries,” the statement said.

After the UAE, Modi will travel to the Netherlands from May 15 to 17. It will be his second visit to the country since 2017. India’s foreign ministry said discussions there will cover defence, semiconductors and what it described as “a strategic partnership on water” between the two sides.

Modi’s visit “early in the tenure of the new government will provide an opportunity to further deepen and expand” India’s partnership with the Dutch, the ministry said.

The ministry added that bilateral trade between India and the Netherlands, described as India’s fourth-largest investor from Europe, reached $27.8 billion last year.

Modi is then due in Sweden on May 17 for a two-day visit, where he will hold talks with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The two leaders are also expected to address the European Round Table for Industry, a forum of major business leaders, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the statement said.

On May 18, Modi will arrive in Norway to attend the third India-Nordic Summit. The foreign ministry said it will be his first visit to Norway and the first by an Indian prime minister in 43 years.

The final stop of the week-long tour will be Italy on May 19 and 20. India’s foreign ministry said the visit comes as bilateral relations have gathered pace, with both countries moving ahead on the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029.

“The visit takes place in the backdrop of a strong momentum in bilateral ties with both sides proactively implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029,” India’s foreign ministry said.

The plan is aimed at increasing bilateral trade and expanding cooperation in defence and security, as well as clean energy and technology.

The Middle East conflict has added pressure to India’s economy. On Sunday, Modi urged India’s 1.4 billion people to cut petrol and diesel use in view of supply disruptions.

Tour spans Gulf and Europe

The itinerary announced by the foreign ministry places energy, trade, investment, defence and technology among the main themes of the trip. The UAE leg comes against the backdrop of supply concerns linked to the Middle East war, while the European stops are set to focus on economic and strategic cooperation with individual partner countries and regional business leaders.

The visit to Norway is also notable for its rarity, with the ministry saying no Indian prime minister has travelled there in 43 years. In Italy, the emphasis is expected to remain on implementing the existing joint action plan covering the 2025-2029 period.