BRICS: Modi meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince; Defence, space, nuclear energy and $11.5 billion Odisha investment discussed

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday, 12 September.

The talks were held on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, with India and the UAE seeking to further strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The two leaders reiterated the significance of the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is built on strong political, cultural, commercial, energy, and people-to-people relations, Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

“At a time of uncertainty in West Asia, a strong India-UAE is a symbol of stability, prosperity and peace,” PM Modi said in a post on X after the meeting.

Quick answers to key questions

•5

QUESTIONS

The discussions included defense, space, nuclear energy, and a significant investment of $11.5 billion in an integrated greenfield aluminium project in Odisha.

This project positions Odisha as a global hub for aluminium manufacturing, reflecting the expanding economic partnership between India and the UAE.

The UAE's BRICS membership supports its goals of expanding trade partnerships, enhancing economic openness, and strengthening its global market presence.

The leaders discussed enhancing cooperation in strategic areas like defense, space, nuclear energy, technology, and innovation.

Yes, strengthening this partnership is essential for mutual benefits, particularly in trade and energy security amidst global economic challenges.

“They recalled the recent successful visits by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE to India in January 2026, and that of Prime Minister to the UAE in May 2026,” MEA said.

$11.5 billion integrated greenfield aluminium project

The leaders acknowledged the progress achieved in bilateral relations in a wide range of sectors during the meeting. They positively noted the announcement by UAE’s International Holding Company’s to invest in the development of a $11.5 billion integrated greenfield aluminium project in Odisha, India’s largest integrated aluminium investment. The project is expected to position Odisha as a global aluminium manufacturing hub, MEA said.

“The leaders acknowledged the important role that L’Imad, as the UAE’s newest sovereign investment fund, could play in further deepening the India-UAE partnership for mutual benefit. They also discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between the two countries in strategic and emerging areas, including defence, space, nuclear energy, technology and innovation,” read the statement.

The visit reaffirmed the tradition of regular leadership-level engagement and the generational continuity that underpins the enduring relationship between India and the UAE, MEA said.

The UAE became a full member of BRICS in January 2024, along with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and Saudi Arabia, while Indonesia joined the grouping as a full member in January 2025.

According to UAE News Agency WAM, UAE's membership supports the country's efforts to expand its economic and trade partnerships and strengthen its presence in global markets, while adding to the group an economy that serves as a global hub for trade, investment and logistics.

The membership aligns with the UAE's approach of economic openness and diversification of partnerships, while creating opportunities to develop trade corridors, expand investment and business channels, and strengthen cooperation with emerging and developing economies.

This coincides with the expansion of the UAE's Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) programme, under which 38 agreements have been signed since its launch in September 2021, including CEPAs with India and Indonesia, both BRICS members.

The meeting comes amid growing India-UAE cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade and energy security, with the two sides working towards shared prosperity.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. India's Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.

The grouping currently comprises 11 countries -- Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Alongwith 10 partner countries – Nigeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

India's BRICS Chairship comes amid global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures. The expanded grouping provides a platform for cooperation on development, climate action, technology, energy and financial resilience, while also contributing to discussions on reforms in global institutions.