Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday ahead of the BRICS summit, discussing ways to strengthen the India-UAE strategic partnership. The meeting took place in New Delhi, where the UAE Crown Prince is attending the summit as a representative of the United Arab Emirates. The discussion focused on areas such as defence, AI, space, critical minerals, energy, food security and connectivity, according to a social media post by Modi.

The meeting occurred amid reports that BRICS countries have reached a consensus on a joint statement after intensive negotiations that continued into the early hours of Saturday. The breakthrough is significant given that Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are all members of the BRICS forum, despite differences on regional and geopolitical issues. The key point of discord for negotiators was the formulation of the statement on the war in West Asia, with Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia all present at the summit table.

India has consistently expressed concern over the safety of nearly 10 million Indian citizens living and working in the Gulf region, noting that some have been affected or lost their lives amid the escalating conflict. During the meeting, Modi appreciated the UAE’s active participation in BRICS under India’s chairmanship, with the Ministry of External Affairs stating that the leaders welcomed the positive outcomes and agreed to continue working closely to advance shared interests.

The two leaders also discussed the UAE’s International Holding Company’s announcement to invest in a $11.5 billion integrated greenfield aluminium project in Odisha, India’s largest integrated aluminium investment. The project is expected to position Od, as a global aluminium manufacturing hub. They also explored opportunities to enhance cooperation in strategic and emerging areas, including defence, space, nuclear energy, technology and innovation.

Modi also held separate bilateral meetings with leaders from Malaysia, Vietnam and Ethiopia, focusing on critical minerals, energy and food security to shield trade and supply chains from rising global tensions. What remains unknown is the full content of the BRICS joint statement and the specific details of the India-UAE strategic partnership agreement being discussed.