PM Modi To Visit UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway And Italy Amid Middle East War - What's In His Itinerary?

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to undertake a five-nation tour from May 15 to 20, including visits to the United Arab Emirates and several European countries, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The visit comes at a time when the ongoing Middle East crisis has pushed global oil prices higher and increased pressure on India's foreign exchange reserves.

“Prime Minister's upcoming visit will further deepen India's partnership with Europe across sectors, particularly trade and investment ties in light of the recently concluded India-EU FTA,” said MEA.

First leg of visit - UAE

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.5 QUESTIONS1Why did PM Modi urge Indians to reduce fuel and gold consumption?⌵

PM Modi urged Indians to reduce fuel and gold consumption to conserve foreign exchange amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, which has caused global oil prices to rise and put pressure on India's reserves. This measure is seen as a way to prepare for potentially tougher economic conditions.

2What are the key destinations in PM Modi's five-nation tour?⌵

PM Modi's five-nation tour includes visits to the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy. The tour aims to deepen India's partnerships across various sectors, particularly trade and investment.

3What is the significance of PM Modi's visit to the UAE?⌵

During his visit to the UAE, PM Modi is scheduled to meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss bilateral matters, focusing on energy cooperation, regional and global issues. The visit also aims to promote trade and investment linkages, as the UAE is India's third-largest trade partner.

4What topics will be discussed during PM Modi's visit to Nordic countries?⌵

During his visits to Sweden and Norway, PM Modi will discuss boosting bilateral trade and increasing foreign direct investment. Cooperation in areas such as green transition, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, startups, resilient supply chains, defence, space, climate action, and the blue economy are also on the agenda.

5How does the West Asia crisis impact India's economy according to business leaders?⌵

Business leaders like Gautam Adani and Sunil Bharti Mittal stated that the West Asia crisis is putting pressure on global economies, including India's. They emphasized the need for energy and AI self-reliance, strengthening domestic investments, and accelerating the transition to renewable energy to insulate the economy from future global shocks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United Arab Emirates on May 15, 2026, where he is scheduled to meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

During the visit, both leaders are expected to discuss bilateral matters, with a particular focus on energy cooperation, along with regional and global issues of shared interest. They will also explore ways to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, which is supported by strong political, cultural, economic, and people-to-people ties.

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The visit will serve to promote the significant trade and investment linkages between the two countries, the MEA release noted.

The UAE is India's third-largest trade partner and its seventh-largest source of investment cumulatively over the past 25 years. With the UAE hosting over 4.5 million - strong Indian community, the visit will also be an opportunity to discuss their welfare.

Second leg of visit - Netherlands

For the second part of his tour, PM Modi will undertake an official visit to the Netherlands from May 15 to 17, 2026, at the invitation of Dutch Prime Minister H.E. Rob Jetten. During the visit, he is scheduled to meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, and also hold official talks with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

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“Prime Minister's visit will build on the momentum of high-level engagements and close cooperation spanning diverse sectors, including defence, security, innovation, green hydrogen, semiconductors and a Strategic Partnership on Water,” the MEA release stated.

The Prime Minister's visit early in the tenure of the new government is expected to help further strengthen and broaden the India–Netherlands partnership.

The Netherlands is among India's key trade partners in Europe, with bilateral trade reaching USD 27.8 billion in 2024–25. It is also one of India's top investors, ranking as the fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment, with cumulative FDI of USD 55.6 billion, MEA said.

Third leg of visit - Sweden

For the third part of his tour, PM Modi will visit Sweden on May 17–18, 2026, travelling to Gothenburg at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister H.E. Ulf Kristersson.

During his upcoming visit, he is expected to hold bilateral talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to review the full scope of India–Sweden relations and explore new areas of cooperation. The discussions will focus on boosting bilateral trade, which reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, and increasing Swedish foreign direct investment in India, which stood at USD 2.825 billion between 2000 and 2025.

The two leaders are also likely to expand cooperation in areas such as green transition, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, startups, resilient supply chains, defence, space, climate action, and strengthening people-to-people ties.

The two Prime Ministers are also scheduled to address the European Round Table for Industry, a major forum of business leaders from across Europe, along with Ursula von der Leyen.

Fourth leg of visit - Norway

In the fourth part of his tour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake an official visit to Norway from May 18 to 19, 2026, where he will attend the 3rd India–Nordic Summit and hold bilateral meetings. This will be the first visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Norway, and also the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 43 years.

During the trip, he is expected to call on King Harald V and Queen Sonja, and hold bilateral discussions with Norwegian Prime Minister H.E. Jonas Gahr Støre.

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Prime Minister will also address the India-Norway Business and Research Summit along with the Norwegian Prime Minister. The visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress made in India-Norway relations and explore avenues to further strengthen them, with a focus on trade and investment, capitalizing on the India – EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, as well as on clean & green tech and blue economy, MEA said in an official release.

The visit will also be an opportunity to induce momentum in bilateral trade worth around USD 2.73 billion (2024), and investments by Norway's Government Pension Fund (GPFG) of close to USD 28 billion in the Indian capital market.

The 3rd India-Nordic Summit will take place in Oslo on 19 May 2026.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be joined at the Summit by several Nordic leaders, including Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

The Summit builds on earlier meetings held in Stockholm in April 2018 and Copenhagen in May 2022, and is expected to deepen India's engagement with the Nordic region. It aims to add a more strategic dimension to cooperation in areas such as technology and innovation, green transition and renewable energy, sustainability, blue economy, defence, space, and Arctic affairs.

The visit is also expected to strengthen India's economic ties with Nordic countries, with bilateral trade reaching around USD 19 billion in 2024, and support investment flows as well as the development of resilient supply chains, particularly in the context of ongoing India–EU and India–EFTA trade agreements.

Final leg of visit -Italy

In the final segment of his tour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake an official visit to Italy from May 19 to 20, 2026, at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister H.E. Giorgia Meloni.

He had last visited Italy in June 2024 to attend the G7 Summit. During the upcoming visit, he is scheduled to meet the President of Italy, H.E. Sergio Mattarella, and hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

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The visit comes at a time when India–Italy relations are witnessing strong momentum, with both sides actively implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029, a broad roadmap for cooperation across multiple sectors.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 16.77 billion in 2025, while cumulative foreign direct investment from Italy stood at USD 3.66 billion between April 2000 and September 2025. The partnership also covers key areas such as defence and security, clean energy, innovation, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.

PM repeats call for saving fuel, cutting gold buy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his call for reduced fuel consumption, greater use of public transport and electric vehicles by citizens, and urged people to defer gold purchases amid the West Asia crisis, which has caused large-scale disruptions.

Addressing a gathering in Vadodara after inaugurating the Sardar Dham Hostel built by the Patidar community, Modi appealed to people to opt for work from home, a pandemic-era practice, wherever possible and reduce foreign travel.

"The West Asia crisis is one of the worst in the decade; just as we overcame the COVID-19 pandemic, we will come out of this also," the Prime Minister asserted.

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