4th India- UAE Strategic Dialogue held on December 12, 2024
India and the UAE held the 4th Strategic Dialogue on December 12, 2024 in New Delhi. Hon’ble External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the UAE His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan co-chaired the dialogue.
2. The two sides held discussions to expand our strategic partnership in several areas, including defence, emerging technologies, nuclear energy, polar research, critical minerals and renewable energy, among others. The two sides also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest. The last edition of the Strategic Dialogue was held in Abu Dhabi in September 2022.
15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting held on December 13, 2024
3. The 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) was co-chaired by Hon’ble External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi on 13 December 2024. The two Ministers were joined by Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India, HE Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Special Envoy for India, His Excellency Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, UAE Minister of State for Economic and Trade Affairs, Ambassadors, and senior officials from both sides.
4. Both Ministers acknowledged the tremendous growth in bilateral relations since the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2017, which has been nurtured by the strong bonds of friendship between Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the people of the two countries. They noted with satisfaction regular high-level visits exchanged between the two countries since the last JCM in September 2022 at Abu Dhabi.
5. Both sides appreciated the progress achieved in the implementation of the India-UAE Joint Vision Statement of 2022 and underscored the need for continued focus on its implementation. They expressed satisfaction that the various bilateral institutional mechanisms have been meeting regularly and have guided and enhanced the bilateral engagement. Both Ministers agreed to continue the close cooperation at the plurilateral and multilateral level.
6. Both Ministers welcomed the signing and entry into force of the India-UAE Bilateral Investment Treaty. They reaffirmed the strong trade relationship between the UAE and India, further enhanced by the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). They commended the strong cooperation between the two central banks, particularly in the fintech sector, and the development of public digital infrastructure, including Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC), instant payments, and card schemes.
7. Both sides also discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), a major initiative aimed at improving maritime connectivity and trade between India, the UAE, and Europe. Welcoming the recent launch of the work on the Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC) between the two countries and the MAITRI interface (Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface), they acknowledged that VTC and MAITRI will streamline trade processes through a data exchange system that facilitates paperless transactions between the two countries.
8. The two Ministers appreciated the robust cooperation in the energy sector between the two countries, including the desire to deepen ongoing collaboration in areas such as long-term supply agreements, collaboration in upstream and downstream projects, mutual investment in strategic reserves etc. They also welcomed the expansion of cooperation in new areas of partnership such as nuclear energy, critical minerals and green hydrogen.
9. Both Ministers expressed satisfaction over the active and growing exchanges between the two countries in the defence and security sector, which aligned with the broader strategic goals of the two countries. They welcomed the successful completion of the first Army-Army exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’ in January 2024 and the holding of the first-ever India-UAE defence partnership forum involving the defence industries of the two countries.
10. Both Ministers commended the functioning of the IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi campus, which was inaugurated by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed on 2 September 2024. They reviewed the ongoing work to establish the overseas campus of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in Dubai. They highlighted the need to strengthen partnerships between Higher Education Institutes of both the countries, with a focus on advancing joint research initiatives, academic exchanges, and the development of new technologies.
11. Both Ministers emphasized the importance of promoting greater cooperation in different fields such as space, healthcare, food security/ agritech, logistics and supply chains.
12. External Affairs Minister of India thanked the UAE leadership for the care and hospitality extended to the 3.89 million Indians in the UAE. The Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of the UAE appreciated the contribution of the Indian community to UAE’s progress and development. Both sides agreed to hold the meetings of various institutional dialogues to resolve consular issues and enhance collaboration in skills and manpower in the coming months.
13. On the sidelines of the 15th JCM Meeting, an MoU between the Emirates Polar Mission Steering Committee, UAE and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), India was signed. The MoU will facilitate cooperation between the two sides in the fields of polar and ocean regions through partnerships in polar operations, research and academic collaborations, capacity building and supporting each other’s presence at the poles.
New Delhi
December 13, 2024