Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his family at his residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. On this occasion, the Prime Minister presented traditional gifts related to the rich cultural heritage of India to the UAE President and his family.

PM Modi presented a traditional royal carved wooden swing (jhula) of Gujarat to the UAE President. This beautiful swing is hand carved with intricate floral patterns and traditional designs and is considered an integral part of the homes of many families in Gujarat. In Gujarati culture, Jhula is a symbol of mutual communication, family unity and connection between generations. This gift also holds special significance in the context of the UAE declaring 2026 as the ‘Year of the Family’.

Kashmiri pashmina shawl gift

Apart from this, the Prime Minister presented a Kashmiri Pashmina shawl in a decorated silver box to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. This pashmina shawl is hand crafted from the fine wool of Kashmir, known for its softness, lightness and warmth. The decorative silver box used to keep the shawl is manufactured in Telangana. Both these gifts together reflect the rich handloom and handicraft tradition of India.

The Prime Minister also presented a pashmina shawl in an ornate silver box to UAE’s eminent women leader Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi. Along with this, Kashmiri saffron was also presented to him in a decorated silver box. This saffron grown in Kashmir valley is famous all over the world for its deep red color and fragrance.

#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his family at his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg.

PM Modi gifted the President of the UAE a Royal Carved Wooden Jhula (swing), a beautifully… pic.twitter.com/KGePrFmaMh

— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2026

News of tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia

This few hours visit of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India is being considered very important in terms of trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries. This visit is taking place at a time when there is immense turmoil in global politics. On one hand, America has tensions with China and Russia regarding Venezuela and Greenland, while the situation in Iran remains very serious. Apart from this, news of tension between UAE and Saudi Arabia is also coming out. In such an environment, this meeting of the top leadership of India and UAE holds special importance.

Bilateral trade of 100 billion dollars between the two countries

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, bilateral trade between India and UAE has crossed the figure of $ 100.06 billion in the financial year 2024-25, showing a significant growth of 19.6 percent. With this achievement, UAE has become stronger among India’s major trading partners. In the last few years, relations between India and UAE have continuously become stronger. Both the countries have taken cooperation to new heights in many areas including energy, trade, investment, defense and technology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been honored with the country’s highest civilian honor ‘Order of Zayed’ by the UAE in the year 2019, which is a symbol of the close relations between the two countries.