UAE and India: Setting global benchmarks of strategic partnership and bilateral ties

New Delhi: A key official in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, shared that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are primary regional trading partners of India. The trade partnership between India and GCC nations including UAE reached approximately US$184 billion from April 2022 to March 2023.

During a meeting with a delegation from the UAE and GCC media, Muktesh K. Pardeshi, expressed pride in the longstanding friendship between India and the GCC. Shailesh Pathak, Secretary-General of ICC India and FICCI, highlighted the unique and constructive cooperation model between the UAE and India. He emphasized the significant contributions of the UAE-India Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to their cooperation.

Pathak mentioned that since the UAE-India CEPA came into effect in May 2022, trade between the two countries has notably grown, reaching $85 billion last year. He noted that the recent visit of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India, especially to Gujarat, showcased ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation beyond economic ties, including cultural convergence.

Aseem Mahajan, Joint Secretary for the Gulf at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, affirmed the strong strategic relations between the UAE and India. He mentioned that the UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner and the second-largest export destination. Mahajan highlighted the significance of recent bilateral visits, including the UAE President’s visit to India, which led to the signing of numerous memorandums of understanding.

Mahajan also underscored the diverse nature of UAE-India bilateral cooperation, citing plans to establish the first branch of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Delhi in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant step outside India for the prestigious institute.

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