EAM Jaishankar holds talks with UAE counterpart Al Nahyan, assesses bilateral relations
- In Reports
- 05:16 PM, Jun 24, 2024
- Myind Staff
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, discussed bilateral relations and cooperation in areas such as commerce, fintech, and education. They also explored new avenues for collaboration.
Jaishankar's meeting with Al Nahyan took place during a brief visit to the UAE. According to the external affairs ministry, Jaishankar's visit, occurring within two weeks of his reappointment following the formation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, underscores India's prioritisation of its relations with the UAE.
Both ministers reviewed the broad-ranging bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership and expressed satisfaction with substantial progress across various areas of mutual cooperation, including commerce, economics, fintech, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, according to the ministry.
They explored new areas with untapped potential for enhancing collaboration and exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues.
"Very pleased to have met UAE FM @ABZayed today in Abu Dhabi. We had productive and in-depth discussions on our continually strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. I appreciated the dialogue and his insights on regional and global matters," Jaishankar stated on X.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held discussions on the Israel-Hamas conflict and its implications for the wider region, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
During his visit to Abu Dhabi, Jaishankar also visited the BAPS mandir and attended an International Yoga Day event at the Louvre Museum. He described the BAPS mandir as a significant symbol of friendship between India and the UAE, noting its role as a cultural bridge between the two nations.
Jaishankar expressed admiration for how quickly the temple has become a popular cultural destination in the UAE, having attracted over a million visitors since its inauguration less than four months ago.
The minister's visit follows a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the G7 Summit in Italy. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that Jaishankar's trip underscores the ongoing high-level engagement between India and the UAE.
Since July 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the UAE on three occasions, while UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has made two visits to India during the same period. These frequent exchanges underscore the strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.
In a significant development last year, India and the UAE launched a local currency trade settlement agreement and introduced the UAE’s domestic credit and debit cards based on India’s RuPay card stack. Additionally, an Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi campus was established in Abu Dhabi, enhancing educational cooperation between the two nations.
India and the UAE elevated their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2015. Subsequently, in February 2022, they signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA), aimed at boosting bilateral trade in goods to USD 100 billion within the next five years. This trade pact signifies a deepening economic engagement between India and the UAE.
The UAE hosts a significant Indian diaspora, with approximately 3.3 million Indian nationals residing in the country. This expatriate community represents one of the largest concentrations of Indians in West Asia, contributing to the economic, cultural, and social fabric of the UAE.
Image source: ANI
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