PM Modi in UAE: ADNOC to store up to 30 million barrels in India's strategic reserves; Strategic Defence Partnership framework signed
On 15 May 2026 PM Narendra Modi visited the UAE, where India and the UAE signed an ISPRLāADNOC pact for up to 30 million barrels of ADNOC crude in India's strategic reserves, a Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership, and announced US$5 billion of UAE investment.
Summary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on 15 May 2026 and held talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) and ADNOC signed a strategic collaboration MoU for potential storage of up to 30 million barrels of ADNOC crude in India's strategic reserves, including at Visakhapatnam and new facilities at Chandikol, Odisha, and the two sides signed a Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership. UAE entities announced US$5 billion of investment in India, including US$3 billion by Emirates NBD in RBL Bank, and CDAC and G-42 signed a term sheet for an 8-exaflop supercomputing cluster. A PIB backgrounder notes that PM Modi's 2015 visit was the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the UAE in 34 years, and that bilateral merchandise trade crossed US$100 billion for the first time in FY 2025-26 (US$101.25 billion).
Key facts
- Date
- 15 May 2026, UAE
- Leaders
- PM Narendra Modi and President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
- Energy
- ISPRLāADNOC: up to 30 million barrels in India's SPR (Visakhapatnam; Chandikol, Odisha); IOCLāADNOC LPG pact
- Defence
- Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership
- Investment
- US$5 bn: Emirates NBD US$3 bn in RBL Bank; ADIAāNIIF up to US$1 bn; IHC US$1 bn in Sammaan Capital
- Tech / maritime
- CDACāG-42 8-exaflop supercomputer; CSLāDrydocks World ship repair cluster at Vadinar
- Background
- 2015 PM visit first in 34 years; trade US$101.25 bn in FY 2025-26
Practice MCQs 4 questions
Under the ISPRLāADNOC MoU signed during PM Modi's UAE visit in May 2026, ADNOC may store up to how much crude oil in India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves?
Show answer
Correct answer: C ā 30 million barrels
The MoU covers potential ADNOC crude storage in India's SPR of up to 30 million barrels.
During PM Modi's UAE visit in May 2026, Emirates NBD announced a US$3 billion investment in which Indian entity?
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Correct answer: B ā RBL Bank
Emirates NBD is to invest US$3 billion in RBL Bank; IHC is to invest US$1 billion in Sammaan Capital and ADIA up to US$1 billion with NIIF.
Consider the following statements about IndiaāUAE relations, as per PIB (May 2026): 1. PM Modi's visit to the UAE in 2015 was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years. 2. IndiaāUAE bilateral merchandise trade crossed US$100 billion for the first time in FY 2025-26. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C ā Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the 2015 visit was the first by an Indian PM in 34 years, and trade reached US$101.25 billion in FY 2025-26.
Which Indian organisation signed a term sheet with UAE's G-42 in May 2026 to set up an 8-exaflop supercomputing cluster?
Show answer
Correct answer: D ā CDAC
The term sheet for an 8-exaflop super computing cluster is between CDAC, India and G-42, UAE, as part of AI Mission India.