NEW DELHI – UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and talks moved swiftly from diplomacy to decisive action as both sisdes inked $3 billion LNG deal, with this New Delhi turned out as UAE’s largest gas customer.

India and the United Arab Emirates on Monday signed a $3 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal during a lightning two-hour visit to New Delhi by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dramatically expand trade, energy and defence cooperation.

UAE-India LNG Deal

India Uae Eye 200 Billion Trade After Major Lng Agreement

Under this deal, Abu Dhabi state-owned ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 million metric tons of LNG annually to Hindustan Petroleum Corporation for the next 10 years. ADNOC Gas said the latest deal pushes the total value of its contracts with India beyond $20 billion, calling India a cornerstone of its global LNG strategy.

The brief but high-impact visit delivered far more than an energy deal. Both leaders committed to doubling bilateral trade to a massive $200 billion within six years and signed a letter of intent to move toward a strategic defence partnership. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the agreement, underlining a significant deepening of security ties between the two nations.

UAE, which is already India’s third-largest trading partner, sent a powerful signal of intent by dispatching a high-level delegation that included its defence and foreign ministers. The announcements come amid fast-shifting regional alliances, with Pakistan having signed a defence pact with Saudi Arabia last year and recently revealing plans for a three-way defence agreement involving Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The developments also unfold against a backdrop of growing friction between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over regional policies, including their differences in Yemen and disputes over oil production levels.

However, Indian officials were quick to stress that closer defence ties with the UAE do not mean India will be drawn into Middle Eastern conflicts. Misri emphasized that India’s security cooperation with regional partners should not be interpreted as involvement in regional wars or disputes.