India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership, with recent visits by top officials underscoring the importance of bilateral ties. On Sunday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited the UAE, where he met with his counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two foreign ministers reviewed the progress made in various areas of cooperation, including commercial and economic collaboration, fintech, education, culture, and people-to-people connect.
The visit follows a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy. Jaishankar’s trip marked the continuation of high-level contact between the two countries, with the two leaders expressing satisfaction at the substantive progress achieved in different areas of bilateral cooperation. The two ministers also discussed new areas with untapped potential for further enhancing collaboration and exchanged views on regional and global issues.
During his visit, Jaishankar participated in the celebrations of the 10th International Day of Yoga at the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi. The event, organized by the Indian Embassy in partnership with Louvre Abu Dhabi, drew the presence of multiple nationalities. The External Affairs Minister also visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, which was inaugurated by Modi in February this year. The monumental structure has become an iconic cultural destination in the UAE, with a large number of daily visitors. In less than four months, the Mandir has received over one million visitors.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar (Via S. Jaishankar/Twitter)
Jaishankar’s visit to the UAE, within two weeks of his reappointment, underscores the importance India attaches to its relations with the country. The visit marks a continuance of high-level contact between the two countries, which has grown significantly over the past few years. Since July 2023, Prime Minister Modi has visited the UAE thrice, and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has visited India twice. Last year, notable milestones were achieved in bilateral relations, including the implementation of a local currency trade settlement agreement, the launch of UAE’s domestic credit/debit card based on India’s RuPay card stack, the setting up of a campus of IIT Delhi in Abu Dhabi, fintech collaboration, and the commencement of work on IMEEC, among others.
The strengthening of India-UAE relations is expected to further enhance trade, investment, and economic ties between the two nations. With the UAE being a key partner in India’s ‘Look West’ policy, the continued high-level diplomatic engagement will help to realize the full potential of bilateral cooperation in various sectors.
