The United Arab Emirates has reportedly abandoned its proposal to operate the Islamabad international airport shortly after its president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, made a sudden three-hour visit to India.
Abu Dhabi decided to abandon its plans to operate Pakistan's Islamabad International Airport, a deal that has been under discussion since August 2025.
After leaving India, Mohammed bin Zayed also agreed to release about 900 Indians from prison in a gesture of goodwill toward India.
Went to the airport to welcome my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. His visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. Looking forward to our discussions.@MohamedBinZayed pic.twitter.com/Os3FRvVrBc
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2026
India and the UAE also took steps to have a Strategic Defence partnership during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mohamed bin Zayed, with a Letter of Intent signed to pave the way for a framework agreement on Defence Cooperation.
During the talks, PM and Mohamed bin Zayed also reviewed a full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and agreed that the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is entering a more ambitious and multidimensional phase.
The airport project was scrapped after the UAE reportedly lost interest and was unable to find a local partner to manage the operation, Pakistani media outlet the Express Tribune reported. The report did not attribute any political motivation to the collapsed deal. However, the timing coincided with the UAE president's visit to India and the widening rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, which were once close allies, are now engaged in a confrontation over support for rival factions in Yemen.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has strengthened its defence ties with Saudi Arabia and is exploring an Islamic Nato along with Turkey.
Islamabad last year privatised its Pakistan International Airlines after the state-owned enterprise went through huge losses due to poor governance and mismanagement.
Despite the UAE’s proven capability in managing airports in a difficult environment, including in Afghanistan, its withdrawal from the deal with Pakistan highlights a major loss of confidence.
