Web Desk: The president of the United Arab Emirates paid a short working visit to India on Monday, holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as UAE remaining cautious toward defence cooperation with India amid shifting dynamics in West Asia.
The UAE leader arrived in New Delhi at 4:20 p.m. IST at Modi’s invitation and began talks shortly after at 4:45 p.m. The meeting concluded quickly, with the president departing at 6:05 p.m., underscoring the limited scope of the visit.
Despite speculation ahead of the talks, no major defence or strategic pact was signed during the visit.
Raw backed social media accounts claimed that India and the UAE agreed to sign a framework agreement on defence cooperation. However, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified that only a letter of intent was signed on Monday, rather than a binding agreement.
As a result, the move signaled continued engagement but stopped short of confirming firm commitments.
The visit came at a time of heightened uncertainty in West Asia, including tensions involving Yemen and evolving relations among regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The broader backdrop also includes a defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which has drawn attention in New Delhi.
Against this backdrop, discussions touched on strategic coordination, although UAE have moved their forces from Yemen and took a step back to normalise the tensions in the middle east.
Earlier claims on social media, attributed by Indian officials to accounts linked to domestic intelligence narratives, suggested the UAE was preparing to sign a major defence deal with India, including possible interest in Indian-made systems such as the Akash missile platform.
However, Indian officials said no such deal was finalised or announced during the visit.
While the signing of a letter of intent points to ongoing dialogue, the absence of a formal agreement suggests the UAE is taking a measured approach. Officials on both sides said further discussions would continue through established diplomatic channels.
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