Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr. S. Jaishankar, visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 23 June 2024. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and UAE President H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently met during the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy. Dr. Jaishankar’s visit to the UAE closely follows the same.
During his visit, Dr. Jaishankar met with his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of UAE, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both ministers discussed the various issues related to the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They appreciated the progress in multiple avenues of bilateral cooperation like fintech, education, culture, commercial and economic collaboration, culture, health, renewable energy, food security, climate change, and people-to-people connections. They also explored other untapped avenues of potential collaborations. They also held discussions on global regional issues and explored areas of cooperation with international organisations. Dr. Jaishankar wrote on X: “Productive and deep conversations on our ever-growing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Appreciated the discussion and his insights on regional and global issues.”
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah congratulated Dr. Jaishankar on his re-appointment as the External Affairs Minister of India. The former highlighted that India and the UAE share a solid and strategic partnership, reflecting a growing momentum in bilateral relations. He added that the ongoing collaborations ensure both nations’ sustainable economic prosperity and comprehensive development. He noted that India and the UAE elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2017. This move significantly boosted the bilateral ties of both nations regarding their mutual understanding, respect, trust, and shared interests. The Sheikh added that the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) of 2022 had furthered their economic and trade cooperation and helped both nations achieve their respective development goals.
During his visit, Dr. Jaishankar participated in the 10th International Day of Yoga at the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi. The Indian Embassy organised the event in collaboration with the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The event was a huge success, with the participation of several nationalities. Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Mr. Sunjay Sudhir, led the event along with Dr. Jaishankar. In his address to the participants, Dr. Jaishakar remarked how the Indian tradition of Yoga had become a global phenomenon and helped keep the planet healthy and peaceful.
Dr. Jaishankar also visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 14 February 2024. The Minister remarked that the Temple had become a cultural icon in the UAE and witnessed the visit of several devotees every day. The Temple has already seen over 1 million visitors in four months. According to Dr. Jaishankar, the Temple is “A visible symbol of India-UAE friendship, it radiates a positive message to the world and is a true cultural bridge between our two countries.”
Both nations have recently witnessed crucial milestones in several sectors of cooperation too, like the implementation of a local currency trade settlement agreement, the setting up of a campus of IIT Delhi in Abu Dhabi, the launch of UAE’s domestic credit/debit card-based on India’s RuPay card stack, fintech collaboration, and the commencement of work on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
