PM Modi To Visit Europe In May, Likely UAE Stopover; Trade, Security Top Agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a four-nation tour of Europe from May 15-20, with trade, security cooperation, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia taking center stage. A brief stopover in the United Arab Emirates is also expected at the start or end of the visit, according to people familiar with the matter.

The visit will take the Prime Minister to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy. The centerpiece will be the third India-Nordic Summit in Oslo, bringing together the leaders of India, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. The first summit was held in Sweden in 2018, followed by the second in Denmark in 2022.

The economic impact of the Iran-US conflict, particularly the disruption of energy and other supply chains following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, is expected to feature prominently in discussions throughout all legs of the visit, the people said.

Global oil prices have surged past $107 per barrel as the strategic waterway—through which approximately 20 per cent of the world's oil passes—remains virtually impassable. The crisis has sent shockwaves through international energy markets, and India, as one of the world's largest oil importers, is keen to shore up alternative energy supplies.

Why Is PM Modi Visiting Europe In May 2026

India has already begun an outreach to key West Asian energy suppliers, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar recently travelling to the UAE and petroleum minister Hardeep Puri visiting Qatar. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval also visited Saudi Arabia to review the regional situation and bolster India’s energy security.

The proposed stopover in the UAE will allow Modi to review bilateral relations with President Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan and discuss the upcoming Brics Summit to be hosted by India in September. The UAE joined Brics during its expansion in 2024.

The UAE is India’s fifth-largest source of fuel, accounting for almost 6 per cent of total crude imports, and the third-largest source of LPG and petroleum products. The stopover will also provide an opportunity to discuss the welfare of the four-million-strong Indian diaspora in the Emirates.

In January, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited New Delhi, where the two sides announced seven outcomes and signed five agreements, including a Letter of Intent for a Strategic Defence Partnership and a long-term LNG supply agreement.

An Indian trade delegation visited the Dutch semiconductor hub of Eindhoven in March to discuss investment opportunities as New Delhi accelerates its efforts to build a domestic chip industry. Dutch chip equipment maker ASML has announced plans to open a support office in India.

The visit will also mark the first in-person meeting between Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten, who became prime minister in February. The two leaders spoke by phone in March to discuss bilateral ties and the fallout of the West Asia conflict.

The trip to Sweden will be an opportunity to review cooperation in key areas such as trade, innovation, and technology with a member of the European Union. Sweden hosted the first India-Nordic Summit in 2018, and the two sides maintain a wide-ranging joint action plan and a joint innovation partnership.

Key Agenda Of PM Modi Europe Tour 2026

Besides hosting the India-Nordic Summit, Norway is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which concluded a free trade agreement with India in 2024. That agreement commits EFTA countries to $100 billion in investments in India over 15 years, aiming to generate 1 million jobs .

Discussions in Oslo are expected to focus on green energy, climate change, the blue economy, innovation, digital technologies, and cooperation in the Arctic region, building on India’s Arctic Policy framework.

Modi’s visit to Italy will mark his first standalone bilateral trip to the country as Prime Minister, though he previously attended the G20 summit there in 2021 and the G7 outreach in 2024. Discussions with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to focus on defence cooperation, energy partnerships, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

A potential stop at the Vatican is also being considered, which could lead to a meeting between Modi and the Pope, though this has not been officially confirmed.

The visit was originally planned for May 2025 but was called off following the four-day military confrontation between India and Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.

The tour comes months after India and the European Union announced the conclusion of their free trade agreement negotiations in January, which gives 93 per cent of Indian exports duty-free access to European markets.