UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s very brief but significant visit to India two days ago has triggered Turkish right-wing media to take potshots at the UAE and India, stating the Emirate was “seeking refuge in New Delhi after its military failures in Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.”
The Turkish media also interpreted India’s geopolitical interests as “an anti-Turkish devil's triangle consisting of Israel, India, Greece”, adding that the UAE was moving close to Israel.
Sheikh Mohamed’s visit was considered significant as it came at a time of widespread tensions in the Middle East. As per official sources, the talks covered artificial intelligence, nuclear reactors, counter-terrorism, defence, energy security, and other sectors. His brief and hurried visit also gained some traction among global watchers, as the visit also came on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi got the invite from US President Donald Trump to join the Gaza Governance Council.
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However, the Turkish conservative media Haber Hurriyeti had another interpretation for the meeting. It said the meeting “marked a new phase in the strategic alliance between the South Asian giant and the Gulf states.”
“This meeting highlights the increasing cooperation between India and actors close to Israel (Southern Cyprus, Greece, UAE), while also underlining a hostile stance towards Türkiye. The UAE's seeking refuge in New Delhi after its military failures in Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen, combined with rumors of a Saudi Arabia-Pakistan-Turkey alliance, is triggering new fault lines in the region. These developments deepen India's "pro-Israel" orientation in its foreign policy and exacerbate divisions within the Muslim world,” the mouthpiece said, citing no evidence.
It added that the new agreements between the two countries in the fields of defense, technology, and trade, especially the LNG supply contract and the target of increasing bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032, carried a geopolitical message beyond the economic dimension.
The close ties the UAE has established with Israel under the Abraham Accords make this alliance even more significant. Platforms such as the I2U2 initiative (India, Israel, UAE, and the US) reinforce cooperation between this four-way bloc in technology and energy, making India a pro-Israel power in the Middle East,” the report added.
Though India and the UAE have historically enjoyed a great bilateral relations, Haber Hurriyet claims that the close relationship between Netanyahu and Modi, especially in defence, is bringing India closer to Israel's allies, particularly the Abraham Accords signatories such as the UAE. “The UAE's withdrawal from Yemen and the loss of its bases in Somalia are making Abu Dhabi even more dependent on New Delhi,” the article added.
India vs Muslim NATO
Haber Hurriyet also highlighted the defense pact being discussed between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey in the context, calling it “Muslim NATO.”
“This alliance, which would be strengthened by Pakistan's nuclear power, Saudi Arabia's economic weight, and Türkiye's military technology, is unsettling India. The UAE's defeats in Yemen and Somalia have fueled these rumors, pushing Abu Dhabi closer to India,” it stated.
It also cited unnamed analysts who equate India's policies with Israel's "Zionist" ideology, stating it was “fueling hostility towards Islamist-leaning countries like Turkey.”
“This strategy could lead to divisions within the Muslim world. While countries like the UAE are drawing closer to Israel, the Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan bloc could form an alternative power center. In conclusion, the UAE's visit to India is not just a diplomatic gesture; it signals a new power balance in the Middle East. India is shaking hands with Israeli allies while turning its back on Turkey. This dynamic seems poised to create further tensions in the region by 2026,” it said.