UAE F16 Jets escort PM Modi plane during Abu Dhabi Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rare aerial welcome on Friday as UAE Air Force F16 fighter jets escorted his aircraft after it entered United Arab Emirates airspace ahead of his arrival in Abu Dhabi.

The ceremonial escort, considered a high diplomatic honour for visiting heads of state, highlighted the growing strategic partnership between India and the UAE.

A video shared by Press Trust of India showed an F16 fighter jet flying alongside the Prime Minister’s aircraft against the desert skyline as it approached Abu Dhabi.

PM Modi landed in Abu Dhabi as part of his six-day, five-nation diplomatic tour that also includes visits to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy between May 15 and May 20.

During the UAE leg of the visit, Modi is expected to hold extensive talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on strengthening the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discussing the evolving situation in West Asia.

Key focus areas of the visit include energy security, trade, investment, defence cooperation and welfare of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf nation.

The UAE remains India’s third-largest trade partner and one of the country’s biggest investment sources. More than 4.5 million Indians currently reside in the UAE.

The visit also comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia and concerns over disruptions to global energy supplies linked to the Strait of Hormuz crisis.