India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed on a framework for a strategic defence partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Gulf nation, the Indian foreign ministry announced on Friday. The agreement covers defence industrial collaboration, maritime security, cyber defence, and information exchange, while separate energy deals include expanding UAE state oil firm ADNOC's crude storage in India to up to 30 million barrels and increased liquefied petroleum gas supply to Indian Oil Corporation. The agreements come as both countries seek to strengthen ties amid ongoing regional instability caused by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which has disrupted Gulf energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint handling roughly 20 per cent of global oil traffic.