New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his delight at welcoming Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of United Arab Emirates (UAE), during his visit to Delhi. PM Modi tweeted, “Happy to receive Deputy PM & Foreign Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is poised to achieve unprecedented heights. We are committed to working towards peace, stability, and security in West Asia and the wider region.”
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Delhi on Thursday morning to participate in the 4th Strategic Dialogue and the 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM). The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, also welcomed the UAE leader, emphasizing the importance of his visit. He stated, “His visit will further strengthen the multifaceted Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India & UAE.”
Happy to receive Deputy PM & Foreign Minister of the UAE, HH @ABZayed. India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is poised to achieve unprecedented heights. We are committed to working towards peace, stability and security in West Asia and the wider region. pic.twitter.com/GmZtqjfxpC
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2024
India-UAE relations
The 14th Joint Commission Meeting, held in Abu Dhabi in September 2022, saw External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan co-chair the discussions. During that meeting, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Cultural Council Forum, aiming to deepen cultural and people-to-people ties.
Another MoU signed in 2022 focused on the conservation of endangered species like the Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican. This agreement was between India’s Wildlife Institute and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation.
Focus on trade and economy
Both nations are committed to achieving the ambitious goal of $100 billion in bilateral trade within the next five years. The growing trade relationship underscores the economic partnership between India and the UAE, which has been a key focus of their strategic ties.
The ongoing Strategic Dialogue and Joint Commission Meeting aim to explore further opportunities for collaboration in areas like trade, energy, security, culture, and conservation.