New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday personally received UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Delhi airport. According to the MEA sources, UAE President Al Nahyan spent around two hours in New Delhi.

PM Modi later welcomed him and his mother, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence, where he held talks with the UAE President.

During in their discussions, India and Abu Dhabi agreed to deepen their strategic partnership, setting an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade to $200 billion within six years and moving towards the signing of a formal Strategic Defence Partnership agreement in the near future.

The decisions were announced after talks between PM Modi and UAE President Al Nahyan, underscoring the expanding scope of ties spanning trade, defence, energy, and infrastructure and emerging technologies.

According to the official sources, Modi gifted the visiting UAE president an ornate wooden swing from his home state of Gujarat, along with a Pashmina shawl. The two leaders sat on the hand-carved wooden swing, featuring traditional designs and placed against a backdrop adorned with marigold flowers at the Modi’s residence.

A carved wooden swing is a common feature in many Gujarati homes. In Gujarati culture, the swing symbolizes togetherness, conversation and bonding across generations. The gift also resonates deeply with the UAE’s declaration of 2026 as the Year of Family, the officials said.

PM Modi also gifted Al Nahyan a Pashmina shawl from Kashmir in an ornate silver box made in Telangana, highlighting India’s handloom and handicraft traditions. A Pashmina shawl in a silver box was also gifted to the UAE President’s mother. She was also gifted Kashmiri saffron in an ornate silver box.