Modi urges free and safe Strait of Hormuz at start of UAE-Europe tour

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a free and safe Strait of Hormuz on Friday during a brief visit to the United Arab Emirates, the first stop on a six-nation tour.

His trip comes as disruptions to Gulf shipping from the Iran war have rattled oil markets and forced India to raise fuel prices.

Why did Modi call for a safe Strait of Hormuz?

India sources roughly half its crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely blocked since Iran's war began in late February.

Modi urged that keeping the strait "free, open and safe" is India's highest priority, and that international law must be respected. The disruption has directly pushed up petrol and diesel prices for Indian consumers.

What did Modi and the UAE president agree on?

Modi met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and received a guard of honor, with his plane escorted by military jets through UAE airspace. "I have come to my second home," Modi told the president, calling the airforce escort an honor.

The two sides agreed to explore increasing ADNOC's oil storage in India to up to 30 million barrels, and storing crude at Fujairah port as part of India's strategic reserve.

India's foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the visit as a major boost to India's energy security.

The Gulf region remains India's primary source of oil and liquefied petroleum gas, making the UAE relationship central to New Delhi's supply chain strategy.

How has the Iran war changed Gulf geopolitics for India?

The conflict has fractured alliances across the Gulf Cooperation Council, complicating India's long-standing relationships in the region.

"Cracks within the six-member GCC and open Iran-UAE confrontation have altered the geopolitics," former Indian ambassador K.C. Singh told AFP.

The UAE is now openly aligning with the US and Israel, while Saudi Arabia has moved closer to Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey.

Modi met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New Delhi on Thursday, signaling India's effort to maintain lines of communication with all sides. His UAE stop is part of a broader effort to shore up India's position across Gulf nations in the wake of the conflict.

What is Modi hoping to achieve on his Europe tour?

After the UAE, Modi travels to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy over six days, with trade, defense and technology high on the agenda.

The tour follows India and the European Union sealing a free trade agreement in January, which Modi called the "mother of all deals."

Bilateral trade with the Netherlands alone stands at $27.8 billion, with talks expected to cover semiconductors, water, agriculture and health.

In Sweden, Modi will address a European business leaders forum alongside EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.

The tour reflects India's wider push to diversify economic and strategic partnerships while positioning itself as a manufacturing and technology hub.

What is the significance of Modi's Norway visit?

Modi's stop in Oslo marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Norway in 43 years, reflecting deepening engagement with Northern Europe. He will attend an India-Nordic Summit, where Arctic shipping routes are expected to feature in discussions.

India operates an Arctic research base on Norway's Svalbard island and is tracking how melting polar ice affects both global shipping and the Indian monsoon.

"For India, engagement with the Nordic countries is strategically timed to position the country as a trusted economic, technological and clean energy partner," said Anil Wadhwa, a retired Indian ambassador to Italy and Poland. Modi concludes the tour in Italy on May 19, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.