Shifting geopolitical alignments in West Asia are giving new momentum to relations between India and the United Arab Emirates. Their relationship, which once centred on trade, energy and labour, is broadening into a strategic partnership underpinned by the Strategic Defence Partnership Framework signed in May 2026. But the same regional divisions driving this convergence also make closer security ties more difficult to navigate.
The US–Israel war with Iran has prolonged regional instability, while divisions within the Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are pronounced. The expansion of defence ties between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye defence ties, including the September 2025 defence agreement and the August 2026 Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, has reinforced perceptions of a fragmented regional security environment.
For Abu Dhabi, uncertainty over long-term US security commitments and regional instability has prompted a diversified foreign policy aimed at expanding economic and security partnerships. Cooperation with India provides access to cost-effective technologies, while India’s large market and technological capabilities make it an attractive long-term partner. Through international frameworks such as the I2U2 Group — an economic partnership between India, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the United States — Abu Dhabi can position itself within emerging technological and economic networks that enhance its regional autonomy.
