ABU DHABI, September 1st / WAM / H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, chaired the 14th session of the Joint Committee between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of India, which was held this evening at the Ministry’s General Court in Abu Dhabi.
The Indian side was chaired by His Excellency Dr. Subramnyam Jay Shankar, Minister of External Affairs of the friendly Republic of India.
At the beginning of his speech, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed His Excellency Dr. Subramnyam Jay Shankar, and His Highness said, “I welcome you to your second country, the United Arab Emirates, and I am very proud of the brilliance and progress of our strategic relations, which enjoy exceptional support and follow-up from His Highness. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him”, and His Excellency Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India.
His Highness added, “I am pleased to witness the convening of the Emirati-Indian Joint Committee in its fourteenth session. The continuity and institutionalization of our efforts have yielded success after success, leading to the launch of the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017, and the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022.”
His Highness stressed, “The progress of our economic relations has generated exceptional interdependence and integration between the two countries. If we talk about trade, investment, tourism or aviation, we find with certainty that the prosperity of the UAE is from the prosperity of India, and vice versa,” indicating that India is the first export market for the UAE, and the second and first source of imports and foreign investments, and air traffic between the two countries amounted to nearly 3.5 million passengers in 2021.
His Highness added, “The UAE is the second destination and second source of Indian exports and imports, while it ranks among the sources of foreign direct investment in India. The two countries – with a total trade volume of nearly 70 billion US dollars in 2021 and record investment flows – have become a success story studied in the field of both international relations and economic diplomacy.
His Highness explained: “This success resulted in the orientation of many countries to deal with the UAE and India as an integrated and pivotal economic power in Asia and the Middle East, and this is confirmed by the multiple initiatives witnessed in the past period to establish multilateral cooperation platforms with both countries in particular.”
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “Our multilateral cooperation and joint action is an integral part of our vision and strategy to advance Emirati-Indian relations, and enhance our position regionally and globally, and this is confirmed by our successful experience within the Association of States bordering the Indian Ocean “Iora”, and our accelerated cooperation within a group.” I2U2, and our continuous coordination within all international organizations and institutions.
His Highness added that this is also confirmed by our cooperation and India’s continuous support to enhance the UAE’s participation in the “BRICS”, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Group of Twenty, and in line with the presence and the prominent Emirati role at all levels.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan thanked the Republic of India for its support of the UAE in its candidacy for membership in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council for the period 2023-2026, stressing the support of the UAE to the Republic of India in its re-nomination for membership in the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) The third group for the period /2022-2025/, looking forward to obtaining India’s support for the UAE candidacy for the same membership and term.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “In light of the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, we have set an ambitious goal of raising the volume of our non-oil trade to $100 billion over the next five years. Personally, to push forward the economic role of the UAE Embassy in India, which I look forward to becoming a model for the role of our embassies and missions around the world.”
His Highness pointed out that talking about opportunities, achievements and distinguished relations also gives us an incentive to tackle challenges, as we are certain that we can overcome them with the efforts and concertedness of all, as our experience has proven in all cases and files.
His Highness added, “In this regard, I invite participants from both sides to work together, follow up on outstanding issues, create creative solutions to overcome challenges, and turn them into achievements that add to our rich record of successes. Our commercial, investment and tourism relations.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “The Emirati-Indian relations have deep historical roots, which are reflected in the culture of the two friendly peoples, and have contributed to refining our values and customs and building bonds of friendship and coexistence over the decades and years.”
His Highness added that in order to advance our cultural relations, the UAE has taken many initiatives, such as the “Zayed Gandhi Digital Museum”, to celebrate the human values of the founding leader, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “may God rest his soul”, and on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, and the two countries also agreed to establish an Emirati-Indian Cultural Council with the aim of providing more opportunities for cultural cooperation and building a strong and flexible relationship between all concerned parties in this field, in a way that contributes to encouraging joint cultural projects and dialogue between thought leaders from the two countries.
His Highness pointed out that building on the solid cultural foundation that unites the Emirati and Indian peoples is a key factor in achieving the desired goals of our common vision in all political, economic and cultural fields.
At the end of his speech, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “I would like to thank my friend, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of India, and members of the Emirati and Indian delegations, calling on everyone to continue work and perseverance to serve the two countries and achieve their common vision derived from the values of peace, tolerance and prosperity.”
For his part, His Excellency Dr. Subramnyam Jay Shankar praised the depth of the strategic relations between the two countries, stressing that the UAE conveyed to the world a clear and unequivocal message that despite the challenges, we can work together to discover the opportunities for growth and development that these difficulties present.
In his speech during the joint committee, His Excellency valued “the tireless efforts made by the UAE during the epidemic period, when global morale was at its lowest level, as the state conveyed a clear message to the world that conditions do not become difficult except to facilitate, and they narrow only for relief.”
He added, “In the past two years, there has been a growing realization from the UAE and the Republic of India that our cooperation together is important and essential to the economy of our two countries and to the consolidation of a prosperous and sustainable future,” stressing that our track record of joint cooperation and tangible achievements confirm this.
He explained that “the conclusion of the comprehensive economic partnership agreement between the UAE and the Republic of India in 88 days confirms the commitment of the two sides to work together, and it is an indication and a clear message to the whole world that wherever there is will and confidence, there is a way to success and achievement.”
He stated, “Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, high-level cooperation and interaction between the two countries has continued, as the leaderships of the two friendly countries have provided a pioneering model for the UAE-India historical relations.”
He added that “among the historical achievements that have been achieved… the two countries launched the “Emirati-Indian joint vision” at the conclusion of the summit, which was held – via video call – last February, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him”, and the State of Narendra Modi, President of the United Arab Emirates. Ministers of the Republic of India on the parameters of the new horizons of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the UAE and India.
In this regard, His Excellency noted that work between the two countries has already begun in many areas, including climate action, renewable energy, health cooperation, as well as cooperation in the cultural sector and emerging technologies and in the field of skills, as well as the establishment of the Indo-Emirati Cultural Council and the Indian Institute of Technology in the UAE “.
Subsequently, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and His Excellency Dr. Subramnyam Jay Shankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, signed the minutes of the meeting of the 14th session of the Joint Committee between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of India.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Excellency Dr. Subramnyam Jay Shankar witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Wildlife Institute of India and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation in the UAE.
The MoU was signed by Abdullah Ahmed Khalaf Al Qubaisi, Managing Director of the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, and Sanjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE.
His Highness and the Indian Minister of External Affairs also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the UAE and the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India on the establishment of the UAE-Indian Cultural Council Forum.
The MoU was signed by Omar Saif Ghobash, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Cultural Affairs, and Sanjay Sudhir, Ambassador of the Republic of India to the State of India.
Prior to the launch of the joint committee’s work, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, held a meeting with His Excellency Dr. Subramnyam Jay Shankar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of India, during which they discussed prospects for strategic relations and a comprehensive partnership between the two friendly countries and the opportunities available to strengthen and develop them. At all levels, they also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues of common interest.
The work of the joint committee was attended by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, His Excellency Khaled Abdullah Belhoul, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, His Excellency Omar Saif Ghobash, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Cultural Affairs, and His Excellency Dr. Abdel Nasser Al Shaali, Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation The International Fund for Houbara Conservation, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Abdel Rahman Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of India, His Excellency Hamid bin Salem, Secretary General of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, His Excellency Khalil Ibrahim Al Khoury, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for Human Resources Affairs, His Excellency Abdullah Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Managing Director of the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, and a number of Officials on both sides.