April 5 – Dubai’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is scheduled to visit India next week in a move that underscores the deepening ties between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), driven by growing political and economic convergence.
The 42-year-old Crown Prince, who also serves as the UAE’s Defence Minister, will meet senior Indian leadership during his visit, with a key focus on enhancing defence cooperation. He is expected to hold talks with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as part of the high-level engagements.
The visit marks a significant moment in India’s engagement with the next generation of Emirati leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met Sheikh Hamdan’s father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum—Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai—on several occasions, including most recently during PM Modi’s visit to Dubai in 2024 for the World Governments Summit, where he was the guest of honour.
India’s close ties with the UAE have been further bolstered by the strong personal rapport between Prime Minister Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), who is also the Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Hamdan, widely seen as a modern face of Arab royalty, enjoys immense popularity both within the UAE and internationally. Known affectionately as “Fazza”—a name that means “the one who helps” in Arabic—he publishes poetry under this moniker and commands a massive following on social media. On Instagram, where he posts as @Faz3, he has over 16 million followers, sharing glimpses of his poetry, passion for adventure sports, and family life.
An accomplished equestrian, Sheikh Hamdan has won several accolades, including a gold medal at the 2014 World Equestrian Games. He is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the London School of Economics. His leadership in Dubai has focused on youth empowerment, sustainability, innovation, and economic growth—priorities he is expected to highlight during his India visit.
