Narendra Modi arrived in the UAE on Friday as part of his five-nation diplomatic tour, but one moment from his arrival quickly grabbed attention online even before official meetings fully began.
As the Prime Minister’s aircraft entered UAE airspace, it was escorted by UAE F-16 fighter jets, a gesture widely seen as reflecting the growing strategic ties and close diplomatic relationship between India and the UAE.
UAE fighter jets escort PM Modi’s aircraft during arrival
Visuals from the arrival showed PM Modi’s aircraft being accompanied by fighter jets shortly before landing in the UAE.
The escort was seen by many observers as a symbolic display of trust, defence cooperation and strong bilateral relations between the two countries.
After landing, PM Modi was welcomed by Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and also received a ceremonial guard of honour.
The visit comes at a sensitive time for the Gulf region as tensions continue across parts of West Asia amid ongoing conflict and concerns around regional stability, oil supplies and maritime trade routes.
PM Modi discusses regional peace and strategic cooperation
During talks with the UAE President, PM Modi condemned the attacks on the UAE linked to the wider West Asia conflict and said India was prepared to support peace efforts.
“India is ready to extend all possible support to bring peace,” PM Modi said during discussions.
India and the UAE also signed several agreements related to strategic defence cooperation, petroleum reserves and LPG supply, according to officials.
Energy security is expected to remain one of the key focus areas during the discussions as countries across the region continue monitoring instability in the Gulf.
UAE visit marks start of PM Modi’s five-nation tour
The UAE visit marks the beginning of PM Modi’s larger five-country diplomatic trip.
Apart from the UAE, the Prime Minister is also expected to visit the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy during the tour.
The fighter jet escort, meanwhile, became one of the most talked-about visuals from the opening leg of the visit, with many online describing it as a strong diplomatic signal between the two nations.
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