PM Modi’s five-nation tour to UAE and Europe begins May 15; energy security, innovation in focus

What Happened

• India's Prime Minister will undertake a five-nation tour from May 15 to 20, 2026, covering the UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy — a diplomatic push centred on energy security, technology partnerships, defence cooperation, and green transition amid global geopolitical uncertainty.
• The UAE leg (May 15) will focus on energy supply diversification, with specific attention to bypassing the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint through increased use of Port of Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman; India and the UAE are also exploring expansion of the Fujairah oil terminal and an additional cross-peninsula pipeline.
• The Netherlands visit (May 15–17) will encompass talks with the Dutch Prime Minister and meetings with the Dutch royal family; key sectors include semiconductors, defence, green hydrogen, water management, and innovation.
• Sweden visit (May 17–18) will be centred on innovation, clean technology, and defence cooperation.
• Norway (May 18–19) will host the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 19, bringing together the Prime Ministers of all five Nordic nations — Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden — alongside India; this is the first Indian Prime Ministerial visit to Norway in 43 years.
• Italy (May 19–20) concludes the tour, with discussions covering the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, clean energy, technology, defence, and the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029.

Static Topic Bridges

India's Energy Security Architecture

India is the world's third-largest energy consumer and third-largest oil importer, sourcing approximately 85% of its crude oil needs through imports. The Middle East — especially the Gulf states — accounts for roughly 60% of India's crude oil imports, making the Strait of Hormuz a critical chokepoint for Indian energy security. Any disruption to Hormuz passage — as evidenced during recurring tensions in the region — directly threatens India's energy supply chain and macroeconomic stability. Energy security is therefore a core foreign policy driver, shaping bilateral ties with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states as well as Norway, a major oil and gas producer.

India-Nordic Relations and the Nordic Summit

The India-Nordic Summit is a multilateral platform involving India and the five Nordic states: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The first summit was held in Stockholm in April 2018, the second in Copenhagen in May 2022. The 3rd Summit (Oslo, May 2026) is expected to elevate the relationship to a more strategic dimension, with emphasis on technology, green transition, renewable energy, blue economy, defence, space, and Arctic affairs. India's engagement with the Nordic bloc is significant given the region's strengths in offshore energy, maritime technology, and sustainability innovation.

India-Netherlands Semiconductor and Technology Cooperation

The Netherlands is home to ASML — the world's sole manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which are indispensable for fabricating advanced semiconductors. India's semiconductor mission (India Semiconductor Mission, launched under the ₹76,000 crore Production Linked Incentive scheme for semiconductors) has identified the Netherlands as a critical technology partner. An MoU on semiconductors and emerging technologies between India and the Netherlands provides the framework for collaboration. An Indian trade delegation visited Brainport Eindhoven — the Dutch semiconductor hub — in March 2026 to explore investment and supply chain integration.

India-Italy Relations and the India-EU FTA

India and the European Union are currently negotiating a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. Italy, as a G7 member and significant EU economy, holds influence in shaping the EU's trade negotiating posture. The India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 frames the bilateral relationship across trade, defence, clean energy, and technology. Talks on Italy's sidelines are expected to provide diplomatic momentum to the long-pending India-EU FTA.

Key Facts & Data

• Five nations visited: UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Italy (May 15–20, 2026)
• UAE: focus on energy security, Fujairah oil terminal cooperation, Hormuz bypass logistics
• Netherlands: semiconductors, green hydrogen, defence, water management
• Norway: 3rd India-Nordic Summit; first Indian PM visit to Norway in 43 years
• Italy: India-EU FTA, Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029, defence
• India is the world's third-largest energy consumer
• Strait of Hormuz carries ~20% of global oil trade
• India's strategic petroleum reserves: ~5.33 million metric tonnes
• India-Nordic summits previously held: Stockholm (2018), Copenhagen (2022)
• ASML, headquartered in Eindhoven, is the sole supplier of EUV lithography machines globally