India-UAE Strengthen Ties: $200B Trade Goal & Key Pacts Signed

Former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid welcomed the UAE President's visit, emphasizing the benefits of strengthening economic ties. The visit concluded with the signing of five key agreements, including a strategic defence partnership and an investment pact for Gujarat's Dholera region. Both nations agreed to an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade to over USD 200 billion by the year 2032. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received the UAE leader, highlighting the importance of the relationship.

Key Points: India-UAE Boost Relations, Aim to Double Trade by 2032

  • Aim to double bilateral trade to $200B by 2032
  • Five key agreements signed including defence partnership
  • Focus on Dholera Special Investment Region
  • PM Modi personally received UAE President
2 min read

"Have good economic relations, should strengthen further": Salman Khurshid welcomes UAE President's visit to India

UAE President's India visit yields key agreements, aims to double bilateral trade to $200B by 2032, with focus on investment and defence.

"We have very good economic relations with the UAE. If we strengthen them further, we will be successful. - Salman Khurshid"

New Delhi, January 19

Former External Affairs Minister and Chairman of Congress' Foreign Affairs Department, Salman Khurshid, on Monday hailed UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's official visit to India, stating that the country will benefit from strengthening the relationship with Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to ANI, Salman Khurshid said that India has good economic relations with the UAE and should strengthen them further.

The Congress leader said, "Everyone comes, and we also go (to other countries), the more exchange there is, the stronger the relationships become, the country benefits from this."

"There is a strong focus on industry and trade, and the primary focus will be on economic matters. We have very good economic relations with the UAE. If we strengthen them further, we will be successful," he added.

Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted that the UAE President concluded a "short, but extremely substantive" official visit to the national capital, during which he was personally received at the airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held discussions with the Indian side.

Misri added that after the airport reception, the two leaders travelled together to the Prime Minister's residence, where talks were held first in a restricted format and then in an expanded format involving delegation members.

The two leaders signed five agreements, including an investment cooperation between the Government of Gujarat, India and the Ministry of Investment of the United Arab Emirates for the development of Dholera Special Investment region; a letter of intent on the Strategic Defence Partnership; and an MoU for sanitary and quality parameters to facilitate the trade, exchange, and promotion of cooperation in the food sector.

The two sides also agreed to double bilateral trade to over USD 200 billion by 2032 and to establish a supercomputing cluster in India.

This marked Sheikh Mohamed's third official visit to India since assuming office as UAE President and his fifth visit to the country over the past decade.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good to see cross-party support on foreign policy. Salman Khurshid is right—more exchanges lead to stronger ties. The focus on food sector cooperation is also important. Hope this translates to better opportunities for our farmers and easier access to Gulf markets.
R
Rohit P
A supercomputing cluster? That's the real headline for me. We need to invest heavily in tech and R&D. Partnerships like this can help India become a global tech hub. The UAE's investment can accelerate our digital infrastructure.
S
Sarah B
While the economic focus is great, I hope the strategic defence partnership is handled with transparency. Strengthening ties is good, but we must ensure our strategic autonomy isn't compromised. A balanced approach is key.
V
Vikram M
The personal touch of PM Modi receiving him at the airport matters in our culture. It shows respect and the importance we place on this relationship. The UAE hosts millions of Indian workers—stronger ties mean better protection and prospects for them.
K
Karthik V
Agreements are signed with much fanfare, but the real test is implementation. We've seen MoUs before that didn't fully materialize. The government must ensure these projects are executed efficiently and on time. That's where the actual benefit lies.

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