Dubai’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for his first official visit to India, where he was warmly received with a ceremonial guard of honour at Palam Airport.
Union Minister of State for Tourism & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, greeted the visiting dignitary, who was also treated to a musical performance as part of the reception. His visit, taking place from April 8–9 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signifies a major step forward in the rapidly growing India-UAE partnership.
In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the Crown Prince’s arrival as a “significant milestone in India-UAE relations.”
During his visit, Sheikh Hamdan—who also serves as the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister—will hold high-level meetings with Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. A working lunch hosted by PM Modi will facilitate discussions on deepening cooperation across key sectors.
The Crown Prince is accompanied by senior ministers, top officials, and a high-powered business delegation, underscoring the visit’s strategic and economic importance.
Following engagements in Delhi, Sheikh Hamdan will travel to Mumbai to participate in a business roundtable with leading Indian and Emirati industry figures. The meeting will explore investment and collaboration opportunities in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, fintech, innovation, and sustainability.
The visit is poised to inject fresh momentum into the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a particular focus on strengthening trade, innovation, and people-to-people ties. With an estimated 4.3 million Indians living in the UAE—many of them in Dubai—the relationship remains anchored by a robust and vibrant diaspora.
Since the establishment of formal diplomatic ties in 1972 and PM Modi’s landmark visit in 2015, bilateral relations have witnessed a transformative leap, positioning the UAE as one of India’s most crucial strategic and economic partners.