Why Modi's plane was escorted by F-16 jets over UAE
What's the story
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force's F-16 fighter jets escorted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft as it entered the country's airspace on Friday. This was PM Modi's first stop in his five-nation tour. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya said the gesture "is a reflection of the deep strategic partnership, trust, and personal warmth shared between the leadership of India and the UAE."
Jets
Videos go viral
Videos that have gone viral showed the UAE Air Force F-16 Block 60 'Desert Falcon' fighter planes escorting PM Modi's aircraft, which is a custom-modified Boeing 777-300ER with the call sign 'Air India One' when he is on board. The same jets, flown by the UAE Air Force, were recently seen in action, shooting down drones and projectiles fired by Iran during its war with the US and Israel.
Twitter Post
Watch video here
PM Modi’s aircraft being escorted into Abu Dhabi by UAE Air Force F-16 Block 60 ‘Desert Falcon’ fighters. pic.twitter.com/rsTfVMWaEq
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 15, 2026
Diplomatic meeting
PM Modi welcomed by President Al Nahyan
Upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi, PM Modi was ceremoniously welcomed and met UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also received a guard of honor. In their short meeting, the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially in the energy and defense sectors. An agreement on supplies of LPG was also signed. India has been facing an LPG shortage due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, making this discussion even more pertinent.
Regional security
Deals signed
Apart from the LPG agreement, the two countries also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic petroleum reserves. This deal comes shortly after petrol and diesel prices in India were raised by ₹3 on Friday, May 15. They also signed a deal outlining the framework for the two countries' strategic defense partnership, as well as an MoU to establish a ship repair cluster in Gujarat's Vadinar.
Strategic partnership
PM Modi calls UAE his '2nd home'
During his brief stopover in the UAE, PM Modi thanked President Al Nahyan for the special gesture of escorting his aircraft. He called the UAE his "second home." He also condemned the attacks on the UAE, calling them "unacceptable." "India stands shoulder to shoulder with the UAE in every situation," PM Modi said. From the UAE, Modi will head to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.