India and the United Arab Emirates have renewed efforts to advance connectivity under the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and explore cooperation in strategic energy infrastructure, during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi.
The UAE Crown Prince, who was in India to represent the country at the BRICS Summit, held discussions with Modi on strengthening the India-UAE Strategic Partnership across defence, artificial intelligence, space, critical minerals, energy, food security and connectivity.
“Discussed taking our Strategic Partnership forward across defence, AI, space, critical minerals, energy, food security and connectivity,” Modi said following the meeting, adding that the two sides also discussed “new possibilities in strategic energy infrastructure and IMEC connectivity”.
The IMEC initiative is aimed at creating stronger trade and supply-chain links connecting India with the Middle East and Europe. For India and the UAE, the corridor envisages logistics infrastructure, digital systems and integrated supply-chain services supporting general cargo, bulk cargo, containers and liquid bulk.
India and the UAE signed an agreement in 2024 to establish an operating framework for IMEC, including the development and management of a logistics platform backed by a digital ecosystem. The proposed platform is expected to facilitate cargo movement and improve coordination across the multimodal supply chain.
The latest discussions indicate that IMEC is being positioned within the broader India-UAE economic and strategic partnership, alongside cooperation in energy, critical minerals, food security, technology and defence.
Modi described the India-UAE relationship as a symbol of stability, prosperity and peace amid continuing uncertainty in West Asia. However, no new project, investment commitment, construction timeline or operational deadline for the proposed connectivity and energy initiatives was announced following the meeting.
The next phase of cooperation is expected to focus on translating the existing IMEC framework into concrete logistics platforms, digital integration and supply-chain services, as both countries seek to strengthen trade connectivity between India, the Middle East and European markets.