Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is arriving in India on Monday for a two-hour “working visit”. Sheikh Nahyan will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi before flying back around 6:00 pm.
Sheikh Nahyan’s visit to India comes amid a volatile situation in the Middle East resulting from a sharp decline in Iran-US relations, simmering tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over Yemen and a disturbing political scenario in Gaza.
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UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also known by his initials MBZ, heads the family and has 18 brothers and 11 sisters. The Emirati royal family has nine children and 18 grandchildren.
Sheikh Nahyan’s wealth is linked to his vast family fortune, oil revenues and global investments.
The personal fortune of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is estimated at 30 billion dollars (approx. ₹2.5 lakh crore), one of the highest among world leaders, according to a report in the Times of India. His wealth is said to come from a mix of royal inheritance, oil revenue and private holdings, while his immediate family controls considerable personal wealth.
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is one of the richest royals in the world. The royal family known as ‘The Al-Nahyan Family’ are the rulers of Abu Dhabi. The Al Nahyan family controls nearly 6 percent of the world’s oil reserves.
Al-Nahyan family – $335 billion
The Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi is widely regarded as one of the richest in the world.
With an estimated fortune of $335.9 billion, the royal family is the second richest in the world after the Walton Family (US) – founders of Walmart, with a fortune of around $513.4 billion, according to a December 2025 Bloomberg report.
Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, controls sovereign wealth estimated at more than $1 trillion through the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, according to media reports.
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The family’s investment footprint stretches from Manchester City Football Club to stakes in European infrastructure and US tech startups.
Qasr Al Watan Royal Palace
The royal palace often referred to in relation to the 380,000 square meters is Qasr Al Watan (“Palace of the Nation”), the official presidential palace of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi.
It is located on the Ras Al Akhdar Peninsula, adjacent to the Emirates Palace Hotel. Sheikh Al Nahyan hosts foreign dignitaries, state receptions and official government meetings in this palace.
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The complex includes a 37-meter-wide dome, a 12-ton chandelier with 350,000 pieces of crystal, and the “House of Knowledge” where rare artifacts and manuscripts are displayed.
The palace is said to be worth it ₹4,000 crore (approx. USD 480 million) of enormous scale with 1,000 rooms, large domes, luxurious amenities such as theaters and mosques, and serving as both a residence and a major cultural landmark in the UAE.
It had a fleet of eight aircraft
The Al Nahyan royal family’s presidential flight includes eight aircraft, including three Boeing 787-9s and an Airbus A320-20.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed’s personal collection reportedly includes a Boeing 747 worth $478 million and a Boeing 787 worth $176 million. These planes are equipped for extreme luxury, with multiple cabins, meeting rooms, entertainment areas and spas.
In 2008, Sheikh Al Nahyan’s Abu Dhabi United Group bought the British football team Manchester City for ₹2,122 million. The company also owns 81 percent of City Football Group, which also operates Manchester City, Mumbai City, Melbourne City and New York City football clubs.
Sheikh Al Nahyan’s younger brother Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan known as the “Rainbow Sheikh” is said to own a collection of over 700 cars including the world’s largest SUV along with five Bugatti Veyrons, a Lamborghini Reventon, a Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, a Ferrari 59992 and a Ferrari 5999XX.
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The largest collection of 4×4 vehicles in the world has 718 vehicles and according to guinnessworldrecords it was achieved in 2020 by Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan.
According to vnauto.net, Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, with a net worth of around $20 billion, owns the world’s most unique car collection known as the Emirates National Auto Museum.
Key things
- The Al Nahyan family controls nearly 6% of the world’s oil reserves, making them one of the richest royal families.
- Their investments span a variety of industries, including sports, infrastructure and technology, demonstrating their global financial influence.
- Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan’s car collection exemplifies their unique lifestyle, including the world’s largest SUV and rare luxury vehicles.
