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Dubai Crown Prince arrives on two-day state visit
Sheikh Hamdan, who is accompanied by several ministers, senior government officials and a high level business delegation, had a working lunch with Modi and met external affairs minister Dr. S Jaishankar as well as defense minister Rajnath Singh
Dubai crown prince Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum arrived in New Delhi on a two-day state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This is Sheikh Hamdan’s first visit to the country.
The crown prince received a ceremonial guard of honor, with Kerala drummers playing traditional beats as minister of state for petroleum and natural gas and minister of tourism Suresh Gopi officially welcomed him to India.
He shared on his social media handle on X: “It was a pleasure meeting the Prime Minister
@NarendraModi today in New Delhi. Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE–India ties which is built on trust, shaped by history, and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation, and lasting prosperity.”
It was a pleasure meeting the Prime Minister @NarendraModi today in New Delhi. Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE–India ties which is built on trust, shaped by history, and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation, and lasting… pic.twitter.com/D3mXzPteLS
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) April 8, 2025
The visit marks a significant milestone in India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership and will further bolster India’s multifaceted ties with Dubai, a government statement said.
Sheikh Hamdan, who is accompanied by several ministers, senior government officials and a high level business delegation, had a working lunch with Modi and met external affairs minister Dr. S Jaishankar as well as defense minister Rajnath Singh.
On Wednesday, he will visit Mumbai, where he will participate in a business roundtable with prominent business leaders from both sides.
The interaction will strengthen India–UAE economic and commercial cooperation across traditional and futuristic areas, the statement added.
Dubai plays a key role in India’s commercial, cultural and people-to-people exchanges with the UAE. A majority of India’s around 4.3 million diaspora in the UAE reside and work in Dubai.
The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination, with bilateral trade reaching $83.62 billion in FY2023-24.
A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between both the countries came into effect in May 2022, aiming to boost annual non-oil trade between both countries to $100 billion within five years. CEPA has slashed tariffs on over 80% of traded goods, enhancing market access and streamlining trade for both the countries.
Following CEPA, UAE’s investments in India has grown significantly, with cumulative FDI has reached $18.5 billion as of March 2024.
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