India's 76th Republic Day: UAE-India Friendship Is An Example For The World To Emulate
On January 26, 2025, India will commemorate its 76th Republic Day, marking another milestone in the journey of an old civilisation and a young nation. It is an occasion to celebrate the cornerstone of our Republic — the Constitution. India is currently undergoing an epochal transformation. It has been among the fastest growing major economy for many years and is a major player in the global arena.
Powered by innovation and its young workforce, India is making huge strides across the domains of technology, infrastructure, renewables, space, health and so on. In India's developmental journey, the UAE continues to be a key partner.
India-UAE ties have seen exponential growth in the last decade. Our relationship has been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, founded on the pillars of mutual trust and respect. The bonhomie between the leaders and a shared vision is the driving force which is propelling bilateral ties to new levels.
The commitment of the leadership of the two countries to this partnership is evident from the fact that in last eighteen months there have been six high-level exchanges between the two sides. The fruits of these visits could be seen in the range of areas such as nuclear energy, supercomputers, critical minerals, green hydrogen, infrastructure, logistics etc. where both countries have expanded collaboration.
Through the signing of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), a new chapter has opened in the economic ties between both countries. Last year bilateral trade figures touched the mark of $85 billion and are set to achieve the target of $100 bn by 2030. These numbers are not just indicative of the increased trade, but will also lead to increased investment opportunities on both sides. India was the UAE's second largest trading partner and UAE was India's second largest export destination in 2023-24.
Under the framework of India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), a Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC) was launched in September 2024, during the landmark visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India. The VTC is aimed at streamlining regulations, reducing administrative procedural time, leading to reduced cost and enhanced ease of doing business between both the countries.
Alongside VTC, a web-based interface called Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface (MAITRI) was also introduced to integrate multiple Indian operational portals and seamlessly connect them with their counterparts in the UAE. The VTC along with MAITRI are potential concrete steps in the realization of ambitious IMEEC project, that intends to strengthen maritime, trade, digital and grid connectivity between India and UAE and then extending it all the way up to Europe.
With an aim to leverage UAE's pivotal role as a major trade and logistics hub, last year Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum did the ground breaking of the Bharat Mart at Jebel Ali Port, Dubai. The Bharat Mart will provide an important platform for Indian businesses to expand their presence to global markets.
A robust digital connectivity will also deepen and strengthen India-UAE ties in the 21st century. JAYWAN, UAE's national debit and credit card system, launched during Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's visit to UAE last year, is based on India's RuPay debit and credit card stack, developed by National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI).
The interlinking of India's UPI with UAE's AANI will facilitate seamless cross-border payments and increase financial connectivity between the two countries. The Rupee-Dirham Agreement signed by both countries will help traders from both countries to settle trade in their respective national currencies.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi-Abu Dhabi campus stands as a shining beacon of the commitment of the two sides to create a future ready population. The other premier Indian institutions, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) are set to soon open their first overseas campuses in UAE. Indian private institutions of higher learning are also expanding their presence in UAE, with latest one being the Symbiosis International University that opened its campus in Dubai in December 2024.
The presence of over four million Indians, who call UAE their second home and form the largest ethnic group in the UAE, is a testimony to the depth of people-to-people connect of both countries. Apart from the Indians residing in the UAE, nearly 4.5 million visited UAE for tourism, business and educational purposes last year.
Extraordinary celebrations of Indian festivals in the UAE, sometimes even rivalling the most spectacular celebrations in India, indicate the warmth and love for the Indian community in the UAE. The BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi stands tall as a symbol of our shared values of peace and harmony.
India and UAE have today forged a relationship that has become an example for the world to imbibe, learn and implement. Our two countries have set new benchmarks across the landscape of our cooperation, setting the stage for further transformation of our ties. As we commemorate the 76th Republic Day, we cherish and celebrate the vision of our leaders and bonds between our people that continue to usher us towards greater progress and prosperity.
— His Excellency Sunjay Sudhir is India Ambassador to the UAE
Sign in with Google