Dubai Crown Prince to begin official visit to India on Apr 8

New Delhi, Apr 07: Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will arrive in India on Tuesday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an official press release of MEA said.

This marks Sheikh Hamdan’s first official trip to India in his capacity as Crown Prince. He will be accompanied by a delegation of senior UAE ministers, top government officials, and prominent business leaders.

The visit, scheduled from April 8-9, highlights the growing importance of India-UAE ties, particularly the robust relationship between India and Dubai — the UAE’s commercial hub and home to the majority of the 4.3 million-strong Indian diaspora in the Gulf nation. On April 8, Prime Minister Modi will host Sheikh Hamdan for a working lunch in New Delhi, in addition meetings with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The following day, the Crown Prince will travel to Mumbai, where he will attend a high-level business roundtable featuring prominent Indian and Emirati business leaders. The discussions are expected to explore deeper partnerships in traditional sectors like infrastructure and energy, as well as emerging areas including fintech, artificial intelligence, green technologies, and defence innovation.

Dubai has long served as a key gateway in India's engagement with the Gulf, playing a central role in trade, logistics, finance, and cultural exchanges. The city is also a vital hub for Indian workers and entrepreneurs, making it a cornerstone of India’s ties with the broader UAE.

The Crown Prince’s visit is expected to give fresh momentum to the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has expanded significantly in recent years. Bilateral trade has crossed $85 billion, and both sides are working to double it.

Analysts view the visit as a reaffirmation of Dubai’s pivotal role in India’s West Asia diplomacy and its push to deepen ties across the Arab world. “The presence of a large Indian diaspora, long-standing trade relations, and growing strategic cooperation make Dubai one of India’s most vital international partners,” said an official.

The Crown Prince’s meetings in New Delhi and Mumbai are expected to result in new agreements and joint initiatives, further anchoring the UAE-India relationship in shared economic growth and regional security.