EAM Jaishankar meets UAE Diplomatic Advisor to discuss growing India-UAE partnership

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met with Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the UAE, in a meeting this morning. On X (formerly Twitter), Jaishankar shared a post saying, “Nice to meet Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the President, UAE this morning. Discussed our special partnership and its further progress.”

EAM Jaishankar is currently on an official visit to the UAE from January 27 to 29 with goals to build a closer relationship between India and the Emirates and improve bilateral ties.

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations since they established ties in 1972. The UAE opened its embassy in India in the same year, followed by the opening of the Indian embassy in the UAE in 1973. Over the years, these relations have evolved into a robust and multifaceted partnership. The momentum in India-UAE relations reached a significant milestone during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 visit to the UAE, which marked the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the UAE in 34 years. This visit set the stage for a new phase in bilateral ties, marked by the launch of a Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership. In recent years, Prime Minister Modi has visited the UAE multiple times, most recently in November-December 2023 to attend the COP28 World Climate Action Summit in Dubai.

The UAE’s diplomatic engagement with India has been similarly active. President Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ) has visited India on numerous occasions. As Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, he visited India in 2016 and 2017, strengthening the relationship further. More recently, as the President of the UAE, he visited India in September 2023 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit and participated in the 2nd Virtual Global South Summit in November 2023. Additionally, he attended the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January 2024 as the Chief Guest.

Complementing the visits of heads of state, there have been numerous ministerial exchanges between India and the UAE. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar himself has visited the UAE on several occasions, highlighting the growing diplomatic ties between the two countries. Additionally, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed has visited India multiple times to further bilateral cooperation.

The Indian expatriate community in the UAE plays a significant role in the relationship, with approximately 3.5 million Indians living in the UAE. This makes the Indian community the largest ethnic group in the country, constituting about 35 per cent of the UAE’s population. The community is spread across various Emirates, with a substantial portion residing in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, further strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.