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India and the United Arab Emirates have agreed on fresh initiatives and an action-oriented roadmap to strengthen cooperation across key sectors, following high-level talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The understanding was reached as the two leaders co-chaired the 16th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting and the fifth bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Abu Dhabi. During the meetings, they carried out a comprehensive review of bilateral relations across a broad spectrum of cooperation, including trade, investment, energy, connectivity, defence, security, development partnership, technology, health and education. Reflecting on the depth of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two leaders "agreed on new initiatives and an action-oriented agenda for the coming year to further deepen cooperation across priority sectors", the Ministry of External Affairs said. Beyond bilateral issues, the ministers also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia. In this context, "they reaffirmed the shared interest in protecting and promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity," the ministry noted. Linking regional stability with broader connectivity and development goals, both sides agreed to further enhance cooperation and coordination. They reiterated their commitment to implementing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and to continuing joint efforts for the Global South. The discussions also reflected growing convergence on emerging global priorities, with the UAE Foreign Minister conveying his country's support for the AI Impact Summit to be hosted by India in February. He also expressed support for India's presidency of the BRICS grouping in 2026. As part of his engagements in the UAE, Jaishankar held separate meetings with UAE Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also met National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Khaldoon Mubarak, Managing Director and CEO of Mubadala, the UAE's state-owned sovereign wealth fund. According to the ministry, these high-level interactions collectively reaffirmed the shared vision of both countries to deepen strategic trust, expand economic cooperation and explore new avenues for bilateral and trilateral engagement. During the visit, Jaishankar also participated in the Sir Bani Yas Forum held on December 13 and 14. At the forum, he exchanged views with international leaders and experts on major geopolitical, security and technological challenges. From the UAE, the External Affairs Minister is set to travel to Israel for bilateral consultations with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. The visit follows a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which the two leaders "agreed to meet very soon". The momentum in India-Israel ties has been reflected in a series of high-level visits this year, including by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. During his visit, the two sides signed a bilateral investment treaty. The terms of reference for a free trade agreement were finalised during Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to Israel last month. (ANI)
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