Abu Dhabi: The upcoming visit of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to India next week will provide a further impetus to strategic relations between the two nations, a top Indian diplomat told Gulf News on Thursday.
Shaikh Mohammad will reach New Delhi on January 24 for a three-day official visit as the Chief Guest on Indian Republic Day — the celebrations of which will be held on January 26. During his visit, Shaikh Mohammad will hold official talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 25, said Navdeep Singh Suri, the Indian ambassador to the UAE. Both leaders will watch a spectacular parade on Indian Republic Day, in which a 200-member UAE Air Force contingent will march along with their Indian counterparts for the first time, he said.
Asked whether defence cooperation would be among the priorities in bilateral talks during Shaikh Mohammad’s visit, Suri said: “Of course, defence ties are important. But investment is the top priority.”
He said a plan to implement the UAE-India Infrastructure Investment Fund with a target of $75 billion (Dh275 billion) will be worked out during the visit. The fund was created during Modi’s visit to the UAE in August 2015. Several other interactions and programmes are being planned during Shaikh Mohammad’s visit, but are yet to be finalised, Suri said. “There would be many developments reflecting the symbolism and substance of strengthened bilateral relations,” he said.
Ahead of Shaikh Mohammad’s visit, the first India-UAE Strategic Dialogue will take place on Friday, and top officials of both nations will discuss a comprehensive strategic partnership, Suri said.
A high-profile delegation including shaikhs, ministers, senior officials, businessmen and media will accompany Shaikh Mohammad to India. A UAE delegation, led by the Minister of Economy, will attend a Confederation of Indian Industry’s Partnership Summit in Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on January 27, Suri said.
A senior UAE government official, meanwhile, told Gulf News that an agreement on the comprehensive strategic partnership will be signed during Shaikh Mohammad’s visit next week. A number of other agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in various sectors are also expected to be signed, taking bilateral relations to unprecedented heights, he said.
This will be Shaikh Mohammad’s second visit to India within one year. He made his first state visit to India last February on the invitation of Modi who visited the UAE in August 2015. The two high-level visits elevated the friendly relationship between the UAE and India to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Indian Cabinet approves five MOUs
New Delhi: The Indian cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for five memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the UAE, which are expected to be signed during the visit of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. These are:
1. Road transport: India’s Road Transport and Highways Ministry and the UAE’s Federal Transport Authority - Land and Maritime will sign this deal that will contribute to increased investment in infrastructure development and enhance logistics efficiency.
2. Maritime transport: This MoU on Institutional Cooperation in Maritime Transport will “pave way for facilitation and promotion of maritime transport, simplification of customs and other formalities”. This will enable shipping companies in both countries to enter into bilateral and multilateral arrangements for sustainable trading activities.
3. Maritime training: This will enable cooperation on the Mutual Recognition of Certificates of Competency in the maritime training domain.
4. Agriculture: The deal on the agriculture and allied sectors “will promote understanding of best agricultural practices in the two countries and will help in better productivity at farmer fields as well as improved global market access leading to equity and inclusiveness”. Both governments expect that cooperation in agricultural technology will lead to innovative techniques for increasing production and productivity, thereby strengthening food security.
5. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and innovation: The MoU will provide SMEs from both countries an exciting opportunity to build a mutually beneficial relationship and to explore each other’s markets.
