A day after holding an extensive bilateral meeting with visiting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a meeting with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, calling “a strong India-UAE” a symbol of peace and stability at a time of uncertainty in West Asia.

Modi and the visiting UAE Crown Prince discussed the overall situation in West Asia and ways to take the India-UAE strategic partnership forward. “Discussed taking our strategic partnership forward across defence, AI, space, critical minerals, energy, food security and connectivity,” Modi said in a social media post after the meeting, just hours ahead of the summit kick-off. “At a time of uncertainty in West Asia, a strong India-UAE is a symbol of stability, prosperity and peace,” he added.

The meeting came amid reports that BRICS countries have reached a consensus on a joint statement after intensive negotiations that went on till the early hours of Saturday. The breakthrough assumes significance given that Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are all part of the same forum, despite differences and competing positions on several regional and geopolitical issues, sources said.

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The key point of discord for negotiators ahead of the joint declaration was the formulation over the war in West Asia, given that Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia were at the summit table.

Odisha project discussed

During the West Asia conflict, New Delhi often expressed “deep anxiety over the safety of nearly 10 million Indian citizens living and working in the Gulf region, noting that some Indian nationals had been affected or lost their lives amid the escalating conflict”. India has consistently urged all sides to exercise restraint, prioritise civilian safety, and return to dialogue.

As per the Ministry of External Affairs, during their talks on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi appreciated the UAE’s active and constructive participation in BRICS under India’s Chairship. “The leaders welcomed the positive outcomes within BRICS during India’s Chairship and agreed that the two countries would continue to work closely through the platform to advance shared interests and priorities and further strengthen BRICS cooperation,” the MEA readout said.

Adding that the leaders acknowledged the progress achieved in bilateral relations in a wide range of sectors, the MEA said that the two leaders “positively noted the announcement by UAE’s International Holding Company to invest in the development of a $ 11.5 billion integrated greenfield aluminium project in Odisha, India’s largest integrated aluminium investment”. The project is expected to position Odisha as a global aluminium manufacturing hub.

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They also discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between the two countries in strategic and emerging areas, including defence, space, nuclear energy, technology and innovation.

PM Modi also held separate bilateral meetings with leaders from Malaysia, Vietnam and Ethiopia, focusing on critical minerals, energy, and food security to shield trade and supply chains from rising global tensions.