Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel lauds India-UAE partnership at Investopia Global launch

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said India–UAE relations have reached new heights under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Speaking at the inaugural Investopia Global ceremony in Ahmedabad on 23 July 2026, Patel highlighted the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2022, which he said has made the United Arab Emirates India’s third‑largest trading partner.

Patel recalled Modi’s first visit to the UAE in 2015 – the first by an Indian prime minister in 34 years – and noted that Modi has visited the Gulf nation seven times since. He also referenced the five visits of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India, including a welcome in Gujarat during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2024.

The chief minister pointed to cultural links such as the first Hindu Swaminarayan temple in Abu Dhabi and urged deeper cooperation across tourism, renewable energy and maritime trade. Gujarat, he said, plays a pivotal role in the bilateral supply chain, exporting chemicals, pharmaceuticals and textiles to the UAE.