4 min readA Daily Newsletter From The StatesApr 27, 2026 05:55 AM IST
Amid the turmoil in West Asia, NSA Ajit Doval met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, a week after he went to Saudi Arabia.
NSA Doval’s visits are being seen as part of Delhi’s high-level outreach to the Gulf countries amid the war in West Asia, which is currently on a ceasefire. Trade with the energy-rich UAE has been disrupted due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the last two months. Only 10 Indian ships have been able to pass through the strait during this period.
PM Narendra Modi has spoken to leaders of UAE, Saudi and other Gulf countries in last two months, at least twice, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also been in touch with his counterparts from these countries. Doval’s visit is an important outreach given that he has been coordinating with the Emirati establishment on security and strategic issues, especially related to counter-terrorism cooperation.
During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries and enhance cooperation on energy security amid evolving regional developments. According to the Indian Embassy in the UAE, Doval, during his meeting with the UAE President, conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and also discussed measures to deepen bilateral ties, the regional security situation, and other issues of mutual interest.
“He (Doval) called on President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Conveyed greetings of PM Narendra Modi. Measures to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the regional situation, and other issues of mutual interest were discussed,” the Embassy said in a post on X.
The UAE state-run news agency WAM further reported on the meeting, saying that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received Doval, following which greetings were exchanged between the leadership of both countries.
Managing impact on energy supplies
With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz severely impacting India’s energy supplies, the Narendra Modi government has been proactively interacting with the Gulf nations to soften this war-time blow. NSA Doval’s visit adds a security and strategic angle to this outreach. The UAE is home to about 4.7 million Indians — making the country a key and natural partner for India in West Asia.
Doval conveyed PM Modi’s greetings and best wishes for the UAE’s continued progress and prosperity, while the UAE President reciprocated with his greetings for the Indian leadership and wished further development and prosperity for India and its people, as per WAM.
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The discussions also focused on recent developments in West Asia and their implications for regional and international security and stability, along with global energy security concerns.
The meeting was also attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security.
This is the second high-level meeting between the two countries in one month.
Earlier in the month, Jaishankar met the UAE President as part of his two-nation tour. The External Affairs Minister pointed out the robustness of the India-UAE strategic partnership, noting that the ongoing dialogue between the two nations remains strong and transparent despite a complex regional environment.
