In this image released by @narendramodi via X on April 8,
2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Defence of UAE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum during a meeting, in New Delhi. (@narendramodi via PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI — India and the UAE Tuesday agreed to boost defence ties, including
possible co-development of military equipment, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, focusing on cooperation in strategic
domains.
Following his meeting with Al Maktoum, Modi said the Dubai
Crown Prince's "special" visit to India paved the way for a stronger
bilateral collaboration.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said
Modi and Al Maktoum discussed Dubai's key role in strengthening India-UAE ties
across defence, trade, technology, space and connectivity and people-to-people
ties.
After his meeting with the visiting dignitary, Singh said
India is eager to work closely with the Gulf nation in the defence sector,
including in co-production and co-development projects.
Both India and the UAE are committed to work towards peace
and prosperity in the region, he said.
The defence ministry said Singh and Al Maktoum were
convinced that close collaboration between the defence industries should be an
integral part of the bilateral cooperation.
In a social media post, Modi said Dubai has played a key
role in advancing the India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership.
Al Maktoum, also serving as deputy prime minister and
defence minister of the UAE, arrived in the national capital this morning on a
two-day India visit. He is travelling to Mumbai after concluding his
engagements in Delhi.
"Glad to meet HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. Dubai has played a key role in advancing
the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Modi said.
"This special visit reaffirms our deep-rooted
friendship and paves the way for even stronger collaboration in the
future," he said.
The India-UAE bilateral ties have been on an upswing in the
last few years.
Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Modi to the
UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated
to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The bilateral trade and investment ties witnessed a major
expansion after the two sides inked a comprehensive economic partnership
agreement in 2022.
Singh described his meeting with Al Maktoum as
"productive".
"Had a productive meeting with the Crown Prince of
Dubai, Deputy PM and Minister of Defence of UAE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum in New Delhi. For India, the Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership with the UAE is of immense priority," he said.
"In the coming years, we are eager to work closely in
areas such as defence cooperation, co-production and co-development projects,
innovation and technology," he said.
Singh said both India and the UAE are committed to working
towards "peace and prosperity" in the region.
The Defence Ministry said Singh and Al Maktoum acknowledged
that defence cooperation needs to be scaled up in line with the vision and
determination of PM Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
"They identified training exchanges as one of the key
areas of defence cooperation which would enable understanding of each other's
defence ecosystems and accelerate the strengthening of bilateral defence
ties," it said.
Singh and Al Maktoum expressed satisfaction over the active
Coast Guard-to-Coast Guard cooperation and committed to further deepen it by
formalising the same through an MoU, the ministry said.
"They were convinced that close collaboration between
the defence industries should be an integral part of the bilateral
cooperation," it said in a statement.
"They emphasised on increasing defence industry
collaboration and discussed opportunities for enhancing partnership in defence
manufacturing," it said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar too met the Dubai
Crown Prince.
"Delighted to welcome Crown Prince of Dubai and DPM
& Minister of Defence of UAE HH @HamdanMohamme at the start of his first
official visit to India," Jaishankar posted on 'X'.
"Value his positive sentiments for our wide-ranging
cooperation and vibrant ties," he added.
