Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent multi-nation tour spanning the UAE, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Italy marked a decisive push to deepen India’s strategic partnerships amid rising geopolitical instability, according to former diplomat Yash Sinha.
Sinha served as India’s envoy to the UK, Sri Lanka and Venezuela, Consul General of India in Dubai and Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi (UAE). He also headed the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the Ministry of External Affairs and was appointed as Chief Information Commissioner post his retirement.
Describing the UAE leg of the trip as “extremely important”, particularly in the backdrop of escalating tensions in West Asia and concerns over energy security, he said the UAE was “one of India’s leading partners in the Gulf.” He highlighted agreements linked to India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the use of Fujairah port for energy storage as major outcomes of the visit, and noted that the UAE’s role as a key energy supplier to India had grown dramatically over the past two decades.
He also underlined the significance of the new India-UAE defence cooperation framework, saying regional instability and vulnerabilities around the Strait of Hormuz had made closer security coordination essential. India’s 4.5 million-strong diaspora in the UAE and expanding trade relationship further reinforced the strategic depth of ties between the two countries, he said.
Addressing questions about balancing ties between rival regional powers such as Iran and the UAE, Sinha argued that India’s policy of “multi-alignment” and strategic autonomy had enabled New Delhi to maintain strong relations with all sides. He pointed out that while Modi was in the UAE, India simultaneously hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in Delhi.
On the European leg of the tour, Sinha described Europe as an increasingly vital partner for India in a volatile global environment. He called the conclusion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement negotiations a “landmark” development after years of delays and disagreements.
Among the stops, Sinha singled out the Netherlands for its growing importance in semiconductors, water management and advanced technologies. He referred to the Tata Group’s semiconductor partnership with a Dutch firm as a strategically important move in an era of disrupted global supply chains and the “weaponisation” of trade dependencies.
The visits to Sweden and Norway, along with the India-Nordic Summit, reflected India’s renewed outreach to the Nordic region, he said. Norway’s role as a major energy supplier and Sweden’s expertise in defence and critical technologies made the partnerships increasingly valuable for India’s long-term strategic and green transition goals.
Sinha also pointed to the growing importance of Arctic routes and emerging geopolitical competition in the region, arguing that India’s engagement with Nordic countries had gained added relevance because of shifting global trade and connectivity patterns.
On Italy, Sinha said bilateral ties had recovered strongly from the diplomatic strain caused by the Italian marines dispute during the previous UPA government. He praised both governments for rebuilding relations and expanding cooperation in defence technology, research and higher education. He also welcomed the declaration of 2027 as the Year of Indian-Italian Culture.
Responding to criticism over the Prime Minister’s extensive overseas travel during a period of domestic austerity measures, Sinha defended the tour as essential for safeguarding India’s energy and economic interests. He argued that securing long-term strategic partnerships could not be equated with “tourism” and said the benefits of the visit would become more evident over time.
To get more insights into this visit, including the viral confrontation in Oslo where a Norwegian journalist demanded to know why Modi does not take questions from the press, watch the full interview.
