UAE President's India visit: trade target of US$200 billion by 2032, defence and LNG deals
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India on 19 January 2026; the two sides agreed to double bilateral trade to US$200 billion by 2032 and signed letters of intent on defence, space and Dholera.
Summary
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid an official visit to India on 19 January 2026 at PM Narendra Modi's invitation — his fifth visit in ten years and third as President. The leaders noted that bilateral trade reached US$100 billion in FY 2024-25 after the 2022 CEPA and set a target of US$200 billion by 2032. Outcomes included letters of intent on a Strategic Defence Partnership, on IN-SPACe–UAE Space Agency cooperation, and on UAE investment in the Dholera Special Investment Region in Gujarat, plus a deal for HPCL to buy 0.5 MMTPA of LNG from ADNOC Gas for 10 years from 2028. C-DAC and the UAE's G42 agreed in principle to set up a supercomputing cluster in India, and the sides agreed to pursue civil nuclear cooperation under the SHANTI Act 2025.
Key facts
- Visit
- 19 January 2026; 5th visit in 10 years, 3rd as UAE President
- Trade
- US$100 bn (FY 2024-25); target US$200 bn by 2032
- Defence
- LoI on Strategic Defence Partnership
- Space
- LoI between IN-SPACe and UAE Space Agency
- Gujarat
- LoI on UAE investment in Dholera Special Investment Region
- Energy
- HPCL–ADNOC Gas: 0.5 MMTPA LNG for 10 years from 2028
- Technology
- C-DAC and G42 supercomputing cluster in India
Practice MCQs 5 questions
During the UAE President's visit in January 2026, India and the UAE set what bilateral trade target for 2032?
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Correct answer: D — US$200 billion
PIB (PMO): bilateral trade reached US$100 billion in FY 2024-25, and the leaders decided to double it to US$200 billion by 2032.
Under the agreement signed during the UAE President's January 2026 visit, HPCL will buy LNG from ADNOC Gas on what terms?
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Correct answer: A — 0.5 MMTPA for 10 years from 2028
PIB (PMO, list of outcomes): the long-term agreement provides for purchase of 0.5 MMTPA LNG by HPCL from ADNOC Gas over 10 years starting 2028.
A Letter of Intent signed during the UAE President's January 2026 visit covers UAE partnership in developing which Special Investment Region?
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Correct answer: A — Dholera, Gujarat
PIB (PMO): the LoI between the Government of Gujarat and the UAE Ministry of Investment is for development of the Dholera Special Investment Region.
Consider the following statements about the UAE President's visit to India on 19 January 2026: 1. It was his fifth visit to India in the last ten years. 2. C-DAC and the UAE's G42 agreed in principle to set up a supercomputing cluster in India. 3. India and the UAE signed their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement during this visit. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 1 and 2 only
PIB (PMO): it was his fifth visit in ten years, and C-DAC–G42 agreed in principle on a supercomputing cluster; the CEPA was signed in 2022, not during this visit.
Which Indian agency signed a Letter of Intent with the UAE Space Agency during the UAE President's January 2026 visit?
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Correct answer: D — IN-SPACe
PIB (PMO, list of outcomes): the LoI on space industry development and commercial collaboration was between IN-SPACe and the UAE Space Agency.