His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE made his first official visit to India from 8th-9th April 2025. Upon arrival, he was welcomed by Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum and Natural Gas. The Sheikh was accompanied by high-level government officials, ministers, business leaders and was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the Crown Prince at his residence in Lok Kalyan Marg, where he was presented with a replica of the Sheikh’s grandfather’s bisht (traditional cloak worn by Arab men), symbolising the historic and generational relationship between the two nations. Both leaders discussed new opportunities to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between India and the UAE, and strong cultural ties between India and Dubai. They spoke about the ever-growing ties in the realms of defence, technology, trade, space, and connectivity.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh discussed ways to further strengthen the defence and security collaborations through institutional mechanisms, military exercises, training programmes and defence manufacturing. The Sheikh held a meeting with the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar as well. The latter highlighted the deepening ties between the two countries in the last few years across diverse sectors.
One of the major meetings that the Crown Prince undertook was the high-level business meeting in Mumbai, where he met the Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. They discussed the contribution of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in rapidly increasing the growth of bilateral trade. Minister Goyal welcomed the signing of the landmark Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed during the event and expressed hope that they will provide momentum to an already robust relationship. The progress of the Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC) in facilitating bilateral trade (expected to cross USD 97 billion) within IMEEC was met with applause from both the parties.
The following key decisions were taken during the meeting, highlighting the commitment from both sides in augmenting the scope of the CSP:
- Setting up a campus of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM) in Dubai and commencing the first MBA programme in September 2025, thereby strengthening the educational cooperation between the two countries.
- Setting up the first overseas campus of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade at the India Pavilion in Expo City Dubai.
- Commencing construction of Bharat Mart and launching a 3D rendering of its respective complex.
- Grant of land for the UAE-India Friendship Hospital in Dubai, which will consist of 100 beds, mainly offering affordable healthcare to blue-collar Indian workers in the UAE.
- MoU between Cochin Shipyard Ltd and Drydocks World to develop ship-repair clusters at Kochi, Kerala and Vadinar, Gujarat with the latest improvements.
- Opening an office in India for the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, standing testament to the strong investment partnership between the two countries.
Sheikh Hamdan’s visit to India in April 2025 represents a significant milestone in UAE-India relations, one that paves the way for enhanced collaboration across various fields. Both nations have set ambitious goals for the coming years, and the visit provides a strong platform for realising these objectives. As both countries look to a future of innovation, trade, and shared prosperity, this visit marks a new chapter in a partnership poised for even greater success.
