New Delhi, May 13 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a six-day, five-nation diplomatic tour from May 15 to 20, beginning with a brief stop in the UAE and continuing to four European countries to strengthen energy security and technology cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George outlined the itinerary: the Prime Minister will visit the United Arab Emirates, then the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy. The trip is intended to shore up India’s energy supplies and accelerate adoption of advanced and green technologies amid global supply disruptions.
On May 15, Mr Modi will hold a pivotal meeting in the UAE with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Officials said the leaders will review bilateral ties, energy cooperation and regional developments. Securing energy imports has become urgent after disruptions in the region, including what officials described as an effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has strained global energy markets. The visit also follows recent attacks in the Gulf — a strike on a petroleum complex in Fujairah that injured three Indians — underscoring the need to protect India’s energy and citizen interests in the region. The UAE is home to more than 4.5 million Indians and is a comprehensive strategic partner for India.
Mr Modi’s European engagements begin with the Netherlands (May 15–17). The Netherlands visit, his second there since 2017, comes at a time of deepening economic ties and follows the finalisation earlier this year of an India-EU free trade framework.
He will then visit Sweden and Norway, countries New Delhi views as important partners for its transition to green and emerging technologies. A central event on the tour is the India–Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 18, marking a revival of the platform after last year’s postponement following the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the cancellation of the 2025 trip due to Operation Sindoor. The summit will focus on trade, investment, green technology and innovation, and build on Norway’s free trade agreement with India, which entered into force in October 2025. That framework is expected to help advance cooperation in areas such as health and digital public infrastructure.
The tour concludes in Italy (May 19–20), where leaders plan to deepen collaboration in defence and other strategic sectors. Italy is also positioning its ports as a gateway to Europe for the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a key infrastructure and trade initiative.
The government describes the itinerary as strategically timed to protect India’s energy needs, accelerate technology partnerships, and expand diplomatic and commercial reach across the Gulf and Europe. MEA officials framed the visits as both practical and symbolic steps to strengthen supply chains, energy partnerships and cooperation on green and digital technologies.
