In December 2024, India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s Emirates Polar Mission Steering Committee (EPMSC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) held in New Delhi, Delhi to strengthen collaboration in polar and ocean research, academic partnerships, operations, and capacity development.
- The meeting was jointly chaired by Minister S. Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister(DPM) and Foreign Minister(FM).
- The discussions covered several areas of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, such as trade and economy, energy security, defence cooperation, connections between our people, cultural ties, and working together to ensure both regions’ stability, security, and prosperity.
Key People:
The meeting was also attended by Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India (FSI), Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State (MoS) for International Cooperation and Special Envoy for India, UAE’s MoS Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Ministry of Economic and Trade Affairs (MoE&TA), Ambassadors, and senior officials from both sides.
Highlights of the 15th India-UAE JCM:
i.India and UAE recognized the significant growth in their relationship since it was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2017, a development driven by the close ties between both countries.
ii.Both highlighted the successful completion of the first Army-Army exercise, ‘Desert Cyclone,’ in January 2024 and the first-ever India-UAE defence partnership forum, which included the defence industries of both countries.
iii.They appreciated the operations of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi Abu Dhabi campus, UAE which was opened by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed in September 2024.
iv.They discussed the progress of setting up the overseas campuses of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in Dubai, UAE.
v.Jaishankar expressed gratitude to the UAE leadership for their support and hospitality towards the 3.89 million Indians living in the UAE while Al Nahyan acknowledged the Indian community’s role in the UAE’s progress and growth.
- Both Ministers agreed to hold meetings in the coming months to address consular issues and improve cooperation in skills and manpower.
Note: The 14th India-UAE JCM was held in September 2022 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
4th India-UAE Strategic Dialogue:
India and the UAE also held the 4th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi. The dialogue was jointly chaired by Minister S. Jaishankar, (MoEA), India and the UAE’s DPM and FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
i.India and UAE discussed ways to strengthen their strategic partnership in areas like defence, emerging technologies, nuclear energy, polar research, critical minerals, and renewable energy, among others.
ii.The 3rdIndia-UAE Strategic Dialogue was held in Abu Dhabi in September 2022.
About the United Arab Emirates (UAE):
President – Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Prime Minister(PM) – Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Capital – Abu Dhabi
Currency – UAE Dirham (AED)
