External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates yesterday, marking his second visit in his current term. This trip follows a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the G-7 Summit in Apulia, Italy.
During the visit, Dr Jaishankar held discussions with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders reviewed the extensive India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, expressing satisfaction with the frequent high-level engagements and the significant progress in various sectors, including commerce, economic collaboration, fintech, education, culture, and people-to-people connections. They also explored new areas for potential cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues.
Earlier, Dr Jaishankar participated in the 10th International Day of Yoga celebrations at the Louvre Museum, an event organised by the Indian Embassy in collaboration with Louvre Abu Dhabi. He also visited the Swami Narayan Mandir in Abu Dhabi.
This visit underscores the importance India places on its relationship with the UAE. Within the last year, there have been a series of high-level interactions between the two nations. Since July 2023, Prime Minister Modi has visited the UAE three times, while President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has visited India twice. Significant milestones in the past year include the implementation of a local currency trade settlement agreement, the launch of the UAE’s domestic credit and debit card based on India’s RuPay card system, the establishment of an IIT Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi, and collaborative efforts in fintech. Bilateral trade between the two countries has also seen substantial growth, reaching $84 billion in the 2023–24 fiscal year.
Disclaimer: This press release is sourced from News On AIR, Prasar Bharti and Press Information Bureau India (PIB).
