Ambassador Sunjay Sudhir
In today’s uncertain times, the India-UAE relationship stands as a model, a story like no other. The bond dates back centuries, strengthened by the waves of the Arabian Sea and the Khalasis―an Indian word with Arabic roots―who were seafarers deeply involved in the pearl trade with the Gulf. These historic trade routes and cultural exchanges laid the foundation for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership we witness today. This is a relationship that is driven by the vision of the leaders and the strong aspirations of the people of the two countries.
The relationship received a fillip when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the UAE in 2015, marking the first visit of an Indian prime minister in 34 years. Since then, he has travelled to the UAE six more times. These visits have been well reciprocated by the UAE leadership. President Mohamed bin Zayed made a state visit to India in 2017 as crown prince, during which the relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In 2022, the two leaders issued a ‘Joint Vision Statement’ outlining the roadmap for future-looking partnerships across strategic sectors like energy, defence, health and emerging technology, among others. The last 18 months have witnessed six high-level visits exchanged between the two countries highlighting the strong commitment of the leadership of India and the UAE to this important relationship. Underscoring the generational continuity of the historical ties, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed visited India in September 2024, opening a new chapter in the strategic partnership.
When it comes to India and the UAE, history and future are intertwined. Several decades ago, the Indian rupee was legal tender in the UAE. Today, UPI is widely deployed in the UAE. The national credit and debit card system of the UAE, Jaywan, is based on India’s RuPay stack and has been developed by the National Payment Corporation of India. The two countries have also signed a rupee-dirham agreement to settle cross-border transactions in their respective local currencies.
From the historic trade through dhows, we are moving towards trade through digital channels. Both countries have commenced the work on a Virtual Trade Corridor between them, powered by the Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface (MAITRI). Bharat Mart, which will be established in Jebel Ali Port, Dubai, is another concrete symbol of our great trade relationship as it harnesses the complementarities of both countries. Benefited by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the trade between the two countries has already reached $85 billion, making the UAE India’s third largest trading partner and India the UAE’s second largest trading partner. The unique bilateral initiatives will help propel the trade further to meet the target of $100 billion before the 2030 deadline.
During Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled’s visit to India, we embarked upon a new journey of cooperation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy and critical minerals. During the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed in December 2024, an agreement was signed to support the UAE’s polar programme and collaborate in polar research and operations. Collaboration in advanced technologies like supercomputers and innovative health care through genome research is also being explored. These partnerships will help both countries conquer future frontiers in advanced technology, space and defence.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently remarked that India–UAE ties are truly in an “era of new milestones”. Today, the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the first such temple in the Middle East, has become an oasis of tolerance, harmony, pluralism and coexistence. The IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi campus proudly showcases the joint endeavour by the two countries to invest in future technology and innovation. India’s other premier institutions, like the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, will soon have their first overseas campuses in the UAE, training Indians and Emiratis together for years to come. These outcomes are the result of the trust and mutual respect enjoyed by the two countries.
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However, the real story of India-UAE relations is the story of the people-to-people ties, which continue to remain as one of the strongest pillars. The number of Indians who call the UAE their second home has grown from 2.2 million in 2015 to 3.89 million in 2023. Indians visiting the UAE on tourist visas have risen to 4.5 million in 2023. This growth would not have been possible without the warmth and hospitality bestowed upon Indians by the leadership and the people of the UAE. Similarly, the number of Emiratis who visit India has also been growing steadily since the introduction of the visa-on-arrival facility.
Today, the India-UAE partnership carries the warmth and respect symbolised by the way Prime Minister Modi and President Sheikh Zayed embrace each other. It carries the aspirations and commitment of the people of the two countries and their desire to achieve greater growth and a prosperous and innovative future. For India-UAE ties, even the sky is not the limit.
The author is India’s ambassador to the UAE.