New Delhi [India], May 13 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a high-stakes five-nation diplomatic tour this Friday, marking his first foray into the Gulf since the conflict erupted in the West Asia region.
The six-day journey, spanning from May 15 to 20, will see PM Modi travelling to the UAE before heading to a cluster of four European nations to fortify India’s global footprint.
Addressing a special media briefing, MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George detailed the itinerary, stating that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a five-nation tour from May 15-20, covering the UAE and four European countries — the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy.”
This diplomatic circuit is strategically designed to bolster energy security and accelerate India’s transition to advanced technologies at a time when the global landscape is rattled by supply disruptions.
The Prime Minister’s mission begins with a “short halt in the UAE” on May 15 for a pivotal meeting with President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
According to Sibi George, the leaders will “discuss bilateral ties, energy cooperation and regional issues,” an engagement that underscores a “pressing requirement to secure India’s energy imports” as the “effective” closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely “stressed global energy markets.”
This meeting carries significant weight as “India and the UAE share a comprehensive strategic partnership, with over 4.5 million Indians living there.”
Beyond protecting vital “purchases of natural gas and petroleum products,” the visit follows recent regional hostilities, including a strike on a petroleum complex in Fujairah that “injured three Indians,” highlighting the urgency of safeguarding New Delhi’s interests in the Gulf.
Transitioning from the volatility of the Gulf to the strategic markets of Europe, PM Modi will visit the Netherlands from May 15 to 17.
Reflecting on the significance of the diplomatic milestone, Sibi George remarked that this represents the Prime Minister’s “second visit after 2017 — at a crucial moment in bilateral relations,” signalling a pivotal chapter for India’s engagement on the world stage.
These diplomatic engagements are framed by a major milestone, coming “in the backdrop of the India-EU FTA that we finalised earlier this year.”
Following the Dutch leg, PM Modi will pivot to Scandinavia, visiting Sweden and Norway, nations viewed by New Delhi as “key to New Delhi’s transition to green and emerging technologies.”
A major centrepiece of the tour is the Prime Minister’s arrival in Norway for the third India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 18.
This platform, which was originally “postponed last year in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack,” serves as a diplomatic recovery after the 2025 trip was “cancelled due to Operation Sindoor.”
Reinvigorating this partnership, the gathering will concentrate on “trade, investment, green technology, and innovation.”
The Nordic engagement is further bolstered by Norway’s existing free trade agreement with India, which “came into effect in October 2025,” providing a robust foundation for new pacts in “health and digital public infrastructure.”
PM Modi will wrap up his multi-nation circuit with a visit to Italy between May 19 and 20, further expanding India’s diplomatic reach across both Europe and the Middle East.
In this final leg, the two nations look to “deepen engagements in defence and strategic sectors” following the Italian Defence Minister’s recent visit to New Delhi.
Italy is also aggressively positioning its ports as a vital “gateway to Europe” within the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). (ANI)
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