New Delhi: United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will arrive in India today on an official visit aimed at strengthening the growing partnership between the two countries. The visit follows an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is expected to focus on expanding bilateral cooperation across key sectors.

His visit to India comes amid the volatile situation in the Middle-East arising out of a sharp decline in Iran-US ties, simmering tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over Yemen and the unsettling political scenario in Gaza.

People familiar with the UAE president's visit said trade and investment, defence industry cooperation and energy initiatives are expected to be on the agenda of his talks with the Indian leadership.

The situation in the Middle-east is also likely to figure in the talks, they said.

It will be the UAE leader's third official visit to India since assuming the charge of the top office and the fifth to the country over the last 10 years.

There has been a significant upswing in bilateral trade and people-to-people ties after New Delhi and Abu Dhabi signed an ambitious comprehensive economic partnership agreement in 2022.

The visit builds on the strong momentum generated by recent high-level exchanges, including the visit of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in September 2024, the MEA said.

It also mentioned the visit to India by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the deputy prime minister and defence minister of the UAE, in April last year.

"India and the UAE share warm, close, and multi-faceted relations, underpinned by strong political, cultural, and economic ties," the MEA said.

The two countries are among each other's top trading and investment partners, bolstered by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the local currency-settlement system and the bilateral investment treaty, it said.

India and the UAE also enjoy a robust energy partnership, including long-term energy-supply arrangements.

"The visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to chart new frontiers for the India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership," the MEA said in a statement.

"It will also enable an exchange of views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, where India and the UAE share a high degree of convergence," it said.

PTI