Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Abu Dhabi visit as a major geopolitical move in the middle of the Iran war, saying India used the crisis to deepen its energy and defence ties with the United Arab Emirates instead of getting drawn into the conflict.
In a Facebook post, Kiyosaki wrote: “WHILE TRUMP FOUGHT IRAN. WHILE CHINA WATCHED. INDIA FLEW TO ABU DHABI AND SIGNED THREE DEALS THAT CHANGED ITS ENERGY FUTURE.” (sic) He described the visit as “the most sophisticated geopolitical strategy in the world right now”, arguing that India was not reacting to the war but positioning for long-term energy security.
Kiyosaki’s post referred to Modi’s May 15 visit to Abu Dhabi, the first stop in his five-nation tour from May 15 to 20 covering the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy. Kiyosaki said Modi landed in Abu Dhabi on “Day 75 of the Iran war” and signed three agreements that would matter “long after this war is over”.
The MEA said the tour would focus on energy, trade, technology, investment, green transition, innovation, startups and people-to-people ties. Officially, the UAE leg covered more than three outcomes, but the three areas highlighted in Kiyoski’s post were defence, strategic petroleum reserves and LPG supply that were central to PM Modi’s visit.
The MEA said the two leaders welcomed a strategic collaboration agreement between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to enhance UAE participation in India’s strategic petroleum reserves to 30 million barrels, and also welcomed an arrangement between Indian Oil Corporation and ADNOC on long-term LPG supplies.
The deal also explores storing UAE crude at Fujairah, the emirate that sits outside the Strait of Hormuz as part of India’s reserve.
Kiyosaki argued that the LPG agreement was critical because India imports a large share of its LPG and much of that supply is exposed to the Strait of Hormuz route.
“India imports 85% of its crude oil. The Hormuz closure has been squeezing Indian energy supplies for 75 days. Modi did not complain about it. He did not pick a side. He did not join the war” Kiyosaki wrote.
“He flew to the country sitting on one of the world’s largest oil reserves — and signed a deal to store 30 million barrels of UAE crude in India’s strategic reserves. He locked in long-term LPG supply outside the Hormuz route,” Kiyosaki added, praising India’s long term geopolitical strategy.
Why India’s strategy stands out as per Kiyosaki
In his post, Kiyosaki clearly explained why he is in awe of India’s geopolitical strategy at the moment. His logic was this: “While everyone else in this war is spending – America spending $29 billion, Iran spending lives and infrastructure, the Gulf states spending on air defenses — India focused on acquiring.”
“Acquiring energy security. Acquiring strategic reserves. Acquiring a defence partnership with the most important Gulf state that is not at war.” he explained.
The UAE visit was not limited to energy and defence. The MEA said both sides also welcomed $5 billion in UAE investment into India, including $3 billion by Emirates NBD in RBL Bank, $1 billion by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority with NIIF in priority infrastructure projects, and $1 billion by International Holding Company in Sammaan Capital.
Other outcomes from the UAE leg included cooperation on critical areas in themes of defence and trade ranging from creation of ship-repair cluster at Vadinar, an 8-exaflop supercomputing cluster partnership between CDAC and UAE’s G42, and the operationalisation of the MAITRI virtual trade corridor connecting customs and port authorities.
“In a crisis, the rich do not panic. Their position. That’s the lesson you need to learn from this. India is positioning. Not for this war. For the next 20 years of energy security regardless of what happens in the Strait of Hormuz,” Kiyosaki states, drawing away what he believed to be a pivotal lesson from India’s recent geopolitical moves.
Internet reacts: Netizens spot ‘gaps’ in Kiyosaki’s narrative
While many on the internet praised Kiyosaki’s analysis that up played India’s ‘brilliant’ geopolitical strategy, others pointed out to certain finer points that they felt were ‘omitted’ from Kiyosaki’s analysis.
“While the official record supports the broad direction of Kiyosaki’s argument. It does not mention some of the restrictions that have been embedded in the agreements. Additionally we all know that all international deals are not always materialised as they had been articulated.” a user stated.
“For instance, as per the exact wording used in the statements published by MEA, the 30-million-barrel storage plan is a potential expansion and not a finalised number,” the user expanded.
Furthermore netizens argue that the LPG deal by itself does not eliminate Hormuz risk altogether as we would still need critical exports from there.
Lastly based on developments made during Trump’s recent visit to Beijing, and recent revelation of Beijing’s assistance to Pak during operation Sindoor, netizens remain skeptical whether China’s role in the war is as passive as Kiyosaki’s phrase “China watched” suggests.