India-UAE strengthen energy and nuclear ties with key agreements

Strengthening energy ties, India and UAE’s pacts will ensure long-term LNG supply and civil nuclear cooperation.

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India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday signed four significant agreements aimed at boosting energy cooperation, including crude oil storage and long-term LNG supply, and enhancing collaboration in the civil nuclear energy sector. The pacts were finalised during wide-ranging discussions as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi.

Most notable among all the agreements was the signing of nuclear cooperation agreement for the maintenance and operations of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, India's foreign ministry said on X,

In a statement, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said that the two “expressed satisfaction over the substantial progress” achieved in recent years in the India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership.

“The MoU on Nuclear Cooperation is expected to enhance cooperation in the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants, sourcing of nuclear goods and services from India, exploring mutual investment opportunities and capacity building,” the New Dehli ministry said.

The crown prince is on a two-day visit to India at the invitation of Modi. This is Sheikh Khaled’s first official visit to India after becoming the crown prince.

Moroever, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday signed in total four significant agreements aimed at boosting energy cooperation, including crude oil storage and long-term LNG supply, and enhancing collaboration in the civil nuclear energy sector. The pacts were finalised during wide-ranging discussions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

One of the key agreements includes a long-term contract for the supply of one million metric tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Another pact between ADNOC and India Strategic Petroleum Reserve Ltd (ISPRL) will facilitate crude oil storage in India.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) and India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) also signed an agreement to boost cooperation in the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants. The agreement will enable sourcing of nuclear goods and services from India, mutual investments, and capacity building in the civil nuclear sector, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).