Dubai Crown Prince Visits India to Strengthen Trade, Strategic Relations

08 Apr, 2025

The Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, will visit India on April 8-9 to boost trade and strategic cooperation between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). His high-level delegation includes ministers, senior officials, and business leaders, marking his first official visit to India as Crown Prince.

Sheikh Hamdan’s visit comes at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and follows last year’s visit by Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, highlighting the growing importance of India-UAE relations. During the two-day trip, Sheikh Hamdan will meet Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

On April 9, Prime Minister Modi will host a working lunch in New Delhi in honor of the Crown Prince. Sheikh Hamdan will then travel to Mumbai to attend a business roundtable with top industry leaders from both nations. The interaction is expected to deepen bilateral economic ties, including in emerging sectors and innovation-driven industries.

Dubai has long been a cornerstone of India’s relationship with the UAE, especially through commercial ties and its large Indian diaspora, which numbers over 4.3 million. Most of this community resides in Dubai, contributing to cultural and economic exchanges.

The visit also builds on the momentum from the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into force in 2022. Following CEPA, bilateral trade grew to $85 billion in FY23, with the UAE becoming India’s third-largest trade partner and second-largest export destination.

India is now the UAE’s second-largest trade partner, making up 9% of its total foreign trade and 14% of its non-oil exports. The UAE ranks as the seventh-largest investor in India, with FDI inflows of $16.67 billion from April 2000 to September 2023.

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