India on Monday signed a $3 billion agreement to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United Arab Emirates, making the Gulf nation India’s top LNG customer, as leaders of the two countries pledged to strengthen trade and defence cooperation.

The deal was signed during a brief two-hour visit by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to New Delhi, where he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders agreed to work towards doubling bilateral trade to $200 billion within the next six years and to pursue a strategic defence partnership.

Under the agreement, Abu Dhabi state-owned ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 million metric tonnes of LNG annually to India’s Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) for a period of 10 years, the companies said.

ADNOC Gas said the latest deal takes the total value of its contracts with India to more than $20 billion.

“India is now the UAE’s largest customer and a very important part of ADNOC Gas’ LNG strategy,” the company said in a statement.

The UAE is currently India’s third-largest trading partner. Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the UAE’s defence and foreign ministers.

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the two sides also signed a letter of intent to work towards establishing a strategic defence partnership.

The development comes amid shifting regional dynamics. India’s neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan signed a mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia last year, while a Pakistani minister recently announced preparations for a draft three-way defence pact involving Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, long-time allies, have in recent years diverged on several regional issues, including policy differences exposed during the Yemen conflict and disagreements over oil production.

Misri, however, said India’s engagement with the UAE on defence and security does not imply involvement in regional conflicts.

“Our involvement on the defence and security front with a country from the region does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that we will get involved in particular ways in the conflicts of the region,” he told reporters.