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PM Modi's plane escorted by F-16 fighter jets in UAE airspace; BJP shares clip | WATCH
PM Modi arrived in the UAE this afternoon, marking the beginning of a five-nation visit that comes amid the ongoing Iran-US war.
Shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the BJP shared a clip, claiming that his aircraft was escorted by F-16 fighter jets upon entering the UAE airspace. BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya shared the clip on X, calling it “a reflection of the deep strategic partnership, trust, and personal warmth shared between the leadership of India and the UAE".
PM Modi arrived in the UAE this afternoon, marking the beginning of a five-nation visit that will also include the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
PM Modi's visit also comes at a time when uncertainty remains on the future of the Iran-US war, which had affected parts of the UAE, like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, for a long time.
Energy security will be key focus of the prime minister's Abu Dhabi visit, where he is also expected to sign key agreements with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on LPG supplies and strategic petroleum reserves.
F-16 and UAE's arms stock
The F-16 fighter jet is part of the UAE's very capable air force and has been used in airstrikes in Iraq alongside US forces during the fight against the Islamic State.
Apart from the jets, the Emirates' ammunition also boasts of surveillance drones and a stockpile of US-supplied bombs and short-range missiles.
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The UAE is a major arms buyer, and as stated in a recent Bloomberg report, also has the Patriot and THAAD missile systems, and Black Hawk helicopters, with the US, France and South Korea among its main suppliers.
Big deals between India, UAE
During PM Modi's visit to Abu Dhabi, India and the UAE inked two key pacts - one on the supply of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and another on strategic petroleum reserves. The deals come at a time when LPG supply concerns have taken over India and what has further worried citizens is the hike in petrol and diesel prices by ₹3 per litre, imposed by state-run oil companies.
PM Modi's trip to Abu Dhabi is planned for only two hours, following which he will head to the India–Nordic Summit. In the UAE, PM Modi also met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ).
Also Read: 'True treasure for leadership': UAE minister on PM Modi ahead of key visit
His UAE visit is part of the five-nation tour that he has kickstarted today, and next in line are Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
