Energy cooperation takes center stage in India-UAE bilateral relations

The official two-day visit of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, commenced on Monday, and marks a significant milestone in the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

- SIMONTINI BHATTACHARJEE

This visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscores the commitment of both nations to further widen and deepen their bilateral cooperation in all areas, with a particular focus on energy cooperation.

During the visit, several key pacts were signed, setting the stage for enhanced cooperation in traditional and new areas of energy cooperation. One of the significant agreements was the long-term LNG supply agreement between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. This agreement involves the long-term supply of LNG at 1 MMTPA annually, marking the third such contract signed in just over a year. Following previous agreements with IOCL and GAIL, these contracts are crucial for India's energy security, as they diversify its LNG sources and strengthen its energy infrastructure.