The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is scheduled to undertake a significant four-nation tour of Europe and a strategic stopover in the United Arab Emirates between May 15 and 20.
This diplomatic mission aims to bolster trade and security cooperation while addressing global supply chain disruptions caused by ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Middle East.
The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes high-level discussions in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy. A pivotal moment of the trip will be the third India-Nordic Summit hosted in Norway, which will convene leaders from Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden to discuss regional innovation, technology, and economic ties.
The visit to the Netherlands is expected to yield a breakthrough in semiconductor collaboration, following a recent Indian trade delegation's visit to the Dutch tech hub of Eindhoven and investment plans by the firm ASML.
In Italy, negotiations will focus on shoring up bilateral ties and the India-EU free trade agreement, which is currently slated for implementation early next year. Furthermore, the UAE stopover is considered critical for securing energy supplies, as the Emirates provide nearly 6% of India's total crude imports.
Prime Minister Modi also intends to review relations with President Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan ahead of the September BRICS Summit. This diplomatic push follows the cancellation of a similar 2025 tour due to regional military tensions.