UAE and India issue joint statement affirming commitment to strategic partnership

The two leaders noted that this was Sheikh Mohamed’s fourth visit to India in the last eight years and his second official visit to India as President of the UAE. Sheikh Mohamed last visited India on September 8-9, 2023 to attend the G20 Leaders Summit in New Delhi, where he met Modi on the sidelines of the Summit. During that visit, Sheikh Mohamed participated in the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor on the sidelines of the Summit. Both sides highlighted Modi’s six visits to the UAE in the last nine years, with the last visit being in December 2023 to attend COP28 in Dubai.

The two leaders discussed the important global roles of India and the UAE in 2023, including India’s presidency of the G20 and the UAE’s presidency of COP28. The UAE praised the efforts of the Indian Presidency, describing them as the most ambitious in the history of the G20, and the efforts of both sides to maximize synergies between the G20 process and COP28 over the course of 2023. The UAE expressed its gratitude India for inviting the UAE as a guest country and the Indian side praised the key participation of the UAE in the summit. The UAE’s participation in the event was a clear sign of the country’s strong commitment to multilateral cooperation and international priorities on global issues.

The Indian side congratulated the UAE for successfully hosting COP28, for adopting the action agenda in the early stages of the conference and for achieving an exceptional achievement that concluded with the “UAE Consensus”, an agreement historic 198 Parts to mark the beginning of a new era. of climate action. The Indian side also thanked the UAE for the special honor accorded to Modi of speaking at the opening ceremony of the Plenary of the Global Climate Action Summit in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates expressed its gratitude to India for its support and contribution to the success of COP28.

The Indian side also congratulated the UAE for joining the BRICS group on January 1, 2024. The UAE side expressed its gratitude to India for supporting the country’s application to join the group and reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with India and other member states to realize the shared goals of the BRICS. Both sides committed to continue working together within the BRICS and other international and multilateral forums to achieve meaningful results. The United Arab Emirates highlighted that becoming a member of an expanded BRICS group reflects the country’s eagerness to uphold the value of multilateralism in supporting peace and development for the benefit and well-being of people and nations around the world.

The two leaders reviewed the India-UAE relationship, which was formally elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Sheikh Mohamed’s visit to India in 2017. They expressed satisfaction with the progress made in various sectors and noted that the India-UAE partnership has been growing and expanding significantly over the years.

Modi and Sheikh Mohamed witnessed the exchange of the following:

YO. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Investments in Innovative Health Projects.

II. Memorandum of Understanding on Investment Cooperation in the Renewable Energy Sector.

III. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Investments in the Development of Food Parks.

IV. MoU between DP World and the Government of Gujarat.

Recognizing the importance of food security, the leaders emphasized that the India-UAE Food Park project will promote the reliability and resilience of food supply chains and expand food and agriculture trade between the UAE and India. Both nations share the intention to implement this project, among others, in India, which will unlock greater value for both nations and the region in terms of food security.

The two leaders recognized the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on Investment Cooperation in the Renewable Energy Sector, which focuses on forging effective collaboration in renewable energy, with the aspiration of implementing energy projects.

The two leaders reviewed efforts by both sides to strengthen strong economic and trade cooperation and explore new areas of collaboration. They noted that the UAE is the fourth largest investor in India in 2022-23, compared to seventh in 2021-22. They welcomed the progress of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in establishing a presence in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), a free financial zone in Gujarat. The leaders stressed that these measures will further facilitate the flow of bilateral investments.

The two leaders welcomed the strong growth in trade between India and the UAE since the entry into force of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on May 1, 2022. As a result, the UAE is the third India’s largest trading partner this year and India’s. Second export destination. India is also the second largest trading partner of the UAE. With bilateral trade set to rise to $85 billion in 2022-23, the leaders expressed optimism that the target of $100 billion non-oil trade can be achieved, well ahead of the target year 2030. They also noted that The MoU between DP World and the agreement signed by the Government of Gujarat for the development of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ), ports and related infrastructure would further boost bilateral trade between the two countries.

Underlining the importance of ensuring a stable and resilient multilateral trading system to foster global economic prosperity, the two leaders highlighted the importance of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, which will take place in Abu Dhabi in February 2024, to achieve a successful outcome that serves the interests of all WTO Members and strengthens the rules-based trade order.

The two leaders resolved to further enhance the bilateral partnership in the field of energy, in oil, gas and renewable energy. Both sides will advance their cooperation in green hydrogen, solar energy and grid connectivity. The two countries also agreed to increase investment across the energy spectrum, including India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme.

Highlighting the importance of the health sector, the leaders agreed to enhance ongoing health cooperation by establishing a formal framework for cooperation, investment promotion and experience sharing. The two leaders acknowledged that the MoU on investments in innovative healthcare signed today will play a critical role in advancing healthcare cooperation between the two countries. They also recognized the potential for India and the UAE to become a reliable alternative in global supply chains for vaccines and health pharmaceuticals. Opportunities to cooperate on the growing healthcare infrastructure in third countries were also discussed.

Both sides emphasized the importance of multilateralism and called for collective action to promote a just and rules-based global order. The Indian side congratulated the UAE on its successful tenure as an elected member of the UN Security Council for the period 2022-23, and praised the efforts led by the UAE in the UN Security Council, including the adoption of resolution 2720 written by the United Arab Emirates on the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza. Both leaders reiterated the need to join efforts to immediately reach a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza to enable safe, unimpeded and scaled-up humanitarian access. The United Arab Emirates reiterated its strong support for India’s bid to become a permanent member of a reformed UNSC.

The two leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral collaboration to enhance maritime security and connectivity in the region to promote prosperity in India, the UAE and the shared neighbourhood. They also agreed to increase defense visits, exchanges, experience sharing, training and capacity development, as well as advance cybersecurity cooperation.

Both sides exchanged views on various regional and international developments of mutual interest. The two leaders emphasized the importance of promoting the values ​​of peace, moderation, coexistence and tolerance among peoples. Furthermore, they reaffirmed their determined stance to reject terrorism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations both at the regional and international levels. They reiterated their commitment to combating extremism and terrorism, including cross-border terrorism and terrorist financing. Both sides committed to continuing their cooperation in the fight against terrorism at the UN and applauded their cooperation and respective efforts in this regard during their terms in the UN Security Council, including the successful chairmanship of the Counter-Terrorism Committee by part of India in 2022 and the United Arab Emirates in 2023. , the unanimous adoption of the “Delhi Declaration on combating the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes” during the special meeting of the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai and New Delhi in October 2022, and the unanimous adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Countering the Use of New and Emerging Technologies for Terrorist Purposes Binding Guiding Principles on the Threats Posed by the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems with terrorist purposes, to be known as the “Abu Dhabi Guiding Principles”, in 2023. They welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2686 on “Tolerance, Peace, and Security” during the UAE Presidency of the United Nations Security Council.

President Sheikh Mohamed thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the warm hospitality extended to him and the UAE delegation. Prime Minister Modi said that he is looking forward to his seventh visit to the UAE in February 2024.