UAE - India Relations

Oct 2024: India and UAE successfully held the second Meeting of the Joint Committee (JC) under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in UAE. The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, Shri Ajay Bhadoo and Assistant Undersecretary for International Trade Affairs, Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, H.E Juma Al Kait co-chaired from the UAE side.

Both sides noted substantial growth in bilateral trade during the first two years of implementation of CEPA and expressed optimism in attaining the target of $100 Mn non-oil trade well before the year 2030. The two sides also held wide-ranging discussions on all aspects of the bilateral partnership including measures to further strengthen and enhance two-way trade.

In Feb 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his official visit to the UAE, held one-on-one and delegation level talks with President of the UAE His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 
They reviewed the bilateral partnership and discussed new areas of cooperation and welcomed deepening of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across sectors, including trade and investment, digital infrastructure, fintech, energy, infrastructure, culture and people to people ties. Discussions also covered regional and global issues.

In Oct 2023, delegation led by Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, visited United Arab Emirates wherein the Hon'ble Minister co-chaired the 11th India-UAE High Level Task Force on Investments (HLTFI), and engaged with industry representatives and interacted with the UAE delegation led by His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 

In July 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Abu Dhabi and met President of the United Arab Emirates His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Upon PM Modi's visit several MoUs were signed including The signing of MoU for establishment of a framework to promote the use of local currencies (INR-AED) for cross-border transactions by Governors of the respective Central Banks, interlinking payment and messaging systems by Governors of the respective Central Banks and MoU for planning to establish Indian Institute of Technology – Delhi in Abu Dhabi.

The leaders resolved to further enhance bilateral partnership in the energy field, both in oil, gas, and renewable energy.

In Sept 2022, EAM visited the UAE during which he co-chaired the 14th Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) and the third Strategic Dialogue with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During the visit, he also met UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), interacted with the press and had a discussion on foreign policy.

In Feb 2022, a virtual summit took place between UAE President and PM Shri Narendra Modi during which the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and several other MoUs/Agreements were signed. During the virtual summit, both leaders also issued a Joint Vision document that will guide India-UAE strategic partnership in times to come. 

In Dec 2021, Hon'ble EAM Dr. S Jaishankar visited Abu Dhabi to attend the 5th Indian Ocean Conference and on the sidelines, met with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (ABZ) and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) and discussed cooperation and joint action that solidify the strategic partnership between the two countries.

In Nov 2021, EAM Dr. S Jaishankar visited the UAE to attend Sir Bani Yas Forum in Dubai. During the visit, he also had meetings with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (ABZ) and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ).

In 2021, EAM Dr S Jaishankar visited the UAE in April and met His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (ABZ). In the meeting, they both reviewed the COVID-19 pandemic and cooperation between India and the UAE.

PM visited UAE in August 2019 to receive UAE's highest civilian award, 'the Order of Zayed’ and which was conferred on him by the UAE President in April 2019. The visit also witnessed the official launch of the ‘RuPay Card’ in UAE, and the release of a set of stamps issued by Emirates Post commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

PM Modi visited UAE in Feb 2018 for the 6th World Government Summit in Dubai, where India was the Guest of Honor; he also met Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE & Ruler of Dubai.

Growing India – UAE economic and commercial relations contribute to the stability and strength of a rapidly diversifying and deepening bilateral relationship between the two countries. India-UAE trade was valued at $180 Mn per annum in the 1970, today this figure stands out around $84.84 Bn in FY 2022-23.

The cumulative FDI inflows from UAE to India are worth $19.05 Bn for Apr 2000 to Mar 2024.

India and the UAE marked the first anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which has been a growth engine for bilateral trade, increasing it by 16.4% from FY 2021-22 to FY 2022-23. The agreement has resulted in the elimination of duties on a large number of tariff lines and has benefited key sectors like Mineral Fuels, Electrical Machinery, Gems & Jewellery, and Automobiles.

India’s major export items to the UAE are: Petroleum Products, Precious Metals, Stones, Gems & Jewellery, Minerals, Food Items (Cereals, Sugar, Fruits & Vegetables, Tea, Meat, and Seafood), Textiles (Garments, Apparel, Synthetic fibre, Cotton, Yarn) and Engineering & Machinery Products and Chemicals.

India's major import items from the UAE are: Petroleum and Petroleum Products, Precious Metals, Stones, Gems & Jewellery, Minerals, Chemicals, Wood & Wood Products.

The UAE is the second-largest export destination for India (after the US) with an amount of $31.6 Bn for the year 2022-23. for the UAE, India was the second largest trading partner in 2022.

The UAE's investments in India are mainly in five sectors: Real estate, Ceramics and glass, Transport and warehousing, Financial services, Coal, oil and gas. During Apr 2000 to Mar 2023, the cumulative equity flow from the UAE to India is nearly $15.5 Bn, making the UAE the 7th largest FDI investor in India.

On 11-12 June 2023, a high-level delegation from the UAE, led by H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, visited India. The delegation included senior officials of the UAE government and representatives from the UAE business community. During their visit, the first India-UAE CEPA Joint Committee (JC) meeting took place, where the committee reviewed bilateral trade, agreed to operationalise the sub-committees and share preferential trade data on quarterly basis, and discussed other matters related to the effective implementation of the CEPA. 

On 1st September 2022, on the margins of the 14th JCM, an MoU was signed to setup the India-UAE Cultural Council Forum that will facilitate deeper Cultural Cooperation and People to People interactions between the two countries.

Major theaters and cinema halls in the UAE screen commercial Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil films. The Emirati community also take part in annual International Day of Yoga events and various schools of yoga & meditation are running successfully in the UAE. 

Indian expatriate community of approximately 3.5 Mn is the largest ethnic community in UAE constituting roughly about 30 % of the country’s population. 

There are 130 Indian schools in the UAE following the CBSE and Kerala Board curricula with approx 3.25 Lakh students, mostly children of Indian expatriates.

On 26 August 2021, a historic Agreement was signed between the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) New Delhi to establish a Visiting Professorship in Social Science at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD). 

The foundation stone for the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi was laid on 20 April 2019 and the ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the Minister of Climate Change & Environment of the UAE along with other representatives of the Government of the UAE and the Ambassador.

Soft launch of Gandhi Zayed Digital Museum was done in Abu Dhabi on 04 December, 2018. The Museum was opened for the public on 12th March 2019. In recognition of this unique initiative, the UAE Government presented the Embassy of India and the UAE Ministry of Culture the Pioneers Award for 2019.