UAE Snubs Paksitan, Cancels Islamabad Airport Operations Deal
UAE’s decision to drop the Islamabad airport operations plan comes in the wake of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed’s New Delhi visit, highlighting how deepening India–UAE ties are reshaping regional equations for Pakistan.Image courtesy: AI generated picture via DALL-E
Growing India-UAE ties marked by President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s whirlwind tour of New Delhi last week has come as a thunderbolt for Pakistan, amidst changing geopolitical equations in South Asia.
After Nahyan’s three-hour, high-outcome visit to New Delhi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the cancellation of a project to operate Islamabad International Airport in Pakistan.
How has the UAE decision shocked Pakistan?
UAE and Pakistan were discussing a deal for the project since August 2025. But the cancellation of plans to operate the Pakistani airport, coming as it does after Nahyan’s visit to New Delhi, has taken Islamabad and Rawalpindi by shock.
The UAE withdrawing from the project was publised by the Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune.
What did the Pakistani media reports say about the development?
In its report, the Express Tribune said the plan was dropped after UAE lost interest and failed to name a Pakistani partner company to outsource the contract for the Islamabad airport.
The report, however, did not indicte any political intent, but pointed out to a growing misunderstanding between UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, once thick partners in West Asia, are now in a public tussle over their support to rival groups in Yemen.
Was this move in reaction to Pakistan’s Saudi Arabia ties?
The latest development comes after Saudi Arabia a signed a defence cooperation deal with India’s arch rival Pakisan. UAE turned to India for a stronger defence cooperation deal, as Pakistan is attempting to build an “Islamic NATO” with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
Long ago, UAE was Pakistan’s largest tradnig partner and a key source of foreign remittences by Pakistani expats working in the West Asian nation. The two nations also were key defence, energy and investment collaborators.
But, over the years, their ties have soured, as UAE was worried about the radicalised elements from Pakistan entering it, and issues relating the skills of Pakistani expats, who were going to Abu Dhabhi for work.
How has UAE steadily built India ties?
On the other hand, Nahyan quickly approved the release of 900 Indians imprisoned in UAE, a gesture read as goodwill towards India, soon after his India visit, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke protocol to visit the airport to receive the President personally to India.
After their meeting in New Delhi, the two leaders also said that the India-UAE partnership had matured and entered into a more ambitious and multidimensional phase.
What is the future of the India-UAE relations?
Their joint statement after the bilateral summit was a blueprint for the two nations to maintain a long-term geopolitical and geoeconomic relationship.
Arguably, the most consequential outcome of Nahyan’s visit to India was the two nations’ decision to uplift their ties to a full Strategic Defence Partnership, through a Letter of Intent that paved the way for a Framework Agreement on Defence Cooperation.
