India UAE Relations: 13th JDCC, Diplomatic Ties & Strategic Cooperation

India–UAE relations have grown into a strong strategic partnership covering trade, energy, defence, security, and culture. The United Arab Emirates is one of India’s largest trading partners and an important energy supplier, while India is a key export market and source of skilled professionals for the UAE. In 2025, the two nations held the India–UAE 13th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting to enhance military ties, joint training, and defence industry collaboration. Over the years, high-level visits, comprehensive economic agreements, and cooperation in technology, renewable energy, and counter-terrorism have made India–UAE ties one of the most significant in the Gulf region.

This topic is important for the International Relations subject that falls under General Studies Paper II of the UPSC exam.

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India UAE Relations Overview

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) share a multifaceted and evolving partnership rooted in centuries-old cultural and commercial ties. The diplomatic relations formally began in 1972 and have since expanded into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing political, economic, defense, cultural, and people-to-people connections. The UAE is India’s 3rd largest trading partner and 2nd largest export destination, while India is the UAE’s 2nd largest trading partner. 

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How has the relationship between India and UAE evolved?

The relationship began with trade and cultural exchanges dating back thousands of years, formalized with diplomatic relations in 1972 following the UAE’s formation in 1971. The accession of key leaders such as Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan catalyzed deeper bilateral interactions.

Key milestones include:

• Progressive increase in trade from a modest US$180 million in the 1970s to over US$85 billion in 2023-24, with the UAE becoming India’s 3rd largest trading partner.
• The signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022, which came into force in May 2022. CEPA has dramatically expanded market access, slashed tariffs on over 80% of goods, and boosted non-oil trade.
• Enhanced financial cooperation with MoUs establishing a Local Currency Settlement System facilitating cross-border transactions in Indian Rupees and UAE Dirhams and integration plans to link India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with UAE’s AANI platform.
• A series of high-level visits by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have elevated the partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with cooperation extending into defense, technology, space, energy, culture, and education.
• Strategic cooperation in defense has grown with frequent joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism collaboration, and collective efforts to maintain regional stability.

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India and the UAE share strong bilateral ties spanning trade, defense, energy, finance, technology, and culture, strengthened by CEPA, strategic defense cooperation, and a vibrant Indian diaspora of over 3.5 million. Their partnership is anchored in growing economic exchanges, maritime security collaboration, energy security, and people-to-people connectivity.

Establishment of Diplomatic Ties Between India & UAE

Initial engagements, including Ancient maritime trade, pearl industry connections, have shaped the trajectory of bilateral ties. India–United Arab Emirates relations were marked by key high-level engagements such as PM Indira Gandhi (1981), Sheikh Zayed (1981), PM Modi (2015). 

The diplomatic journey between India and the United Arab Emirates comprises stages such as Early ties, post-federation strengthening, and comprehensive strategic partnership.

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Strategic & Political Cooperation between India & UAE

The relationship between India and the United Arab Emirates holds Key partners in energy, trade, and regional stability, with an emphasis on defense collaboration, economic synergy, cultural exchanges, and collective global security efforts. 

• Joint exercises (Desert Eagle, Gulf Star), defense dialogue with the United Arab Emirates plays a vital role in India’s defense modernization and joint efforts against terrorism. 
• The 13th India-UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting held in July 2025 marked a significant milestone, upgrading cooperation to the Secretary-level and expanding collaboration into maritime security, joint customized training programs, and advanced defense technology co-development. 
• The Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Coast Guard and UAE National Guard enhances maritime security operations including search and rescue, anti-piracy, pollution response, and real-time intelligence sharing in the Indian Ocean Region.
• India leverages strong cooperation, information exchange, joint operations efforts with the United Arab Emirates to exchange intelligence, monitor threats, and safeguard national interests. 
• MoU on cybersecurity (2016), collaboration on advanced technologies between India and the United Arab Emirates fosters digital innovation, supports tech exchange, and enhances cybersecurity collaboration. 
• I2U2, BRICS, G20 (UAE as guest), UFI Trilateral enable India and United Arab Emirates to cooperate on shared goals and tackle international challenges collectively. 
• Through their Crude oil, LNG, strategic reserves, renewable energy, nuclear, India and United Arab Emirates are collaborating on energy efficiency, fossil fuel alternatives, and grid modernization. 
• India and the United Arab Emirates engage in dynamic collaboration between ISRO and UAE Space Agency, focusing on joint initiatives, knowledge-sharing, and exploration efforts. 
• India and the United Arab Emirates are collaborating in areas such as tourism, ongoing discussions on air services expansion to improve travel and connectivity for their citizens. 
• Efforts like DTAA in force have helped India and United Arab Emirates establish stronger tax governance frameworks.

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Trade & Economy 

Several significant agreements in areas such as Cultural Agreement (1975), Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2017), CEPA (2022), BIT (2023) have been signed between India and the United Arab Emirates to promote cooperation. 

• The trade volume between India and the United Arab Emirates has reached USD 845 billion (2022-23), highlighting the strengthening of their economic ties. 
• Investment flows include UAE: 7th largest FDI source for India (USD 18 billion 2024), along with key joint ventures and shared initiatives between India and its economic partner. 
• Regular platforms like High Level Task Force on Investment, Joint Commission Meetings, often taking place every year or two, are held to boost and evaluate trade and investment relations. 
• According to trade statistics, USD 5573 Billion (2024 UN COMTRADE) was the total export value to India from the United Arab Emirates. 
• India supplies petroleum products, gems, jewelry, textiles, engineering goods, food to the United Arab Emirates under their strong trade relations, boosting bilateral economic growth and cooperation. 

The recorded value of Indian exports to the United Arab Emirates is USD 327 Billion (Feb 2025 OEC). India is represented in the United Arab Emirates by firms such as Taj Group, BITS Pilani, Zee Entertainment, Ashok Leyland, strengthening economic links.

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Socio-Cultural & Diaspora Engagement

The strong influence of the diaspora contributes significantly to the partnership between India and the United Arab Emirates, bolstering economic contribution, cultural bridge, and soft power. India and its partner country connect through Cultural Agreement (1975), India-UAE Cultural Council, BAPS Temple that help people understand each other’s culture and lifestyle. Educational ties between India and the other country are growing through IIT Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi, academic exchanges. 

• The cultural and economic bond between India and the United Arab Emirates is reinforced by the significant presence of the Indian-origin community. 
• Through the deployment of defense cooperation, cultural diplomacy, diaspora, economic partnership, India and the United Arab Emirates seek to reinforce their strategic position and elevate their influence on the world stage.
• Strong diplomatic and economic ties exist between India and the United Arab Emirates, with significant sources, among the largest globally for India, being a key factor in their economic success.

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India and the United Arab Emirates have a very close and important partnership that covers trade, energy, defense, technology, and culture.

• The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export market. In 2025, the value of trade between the two countries crossed $100 billion, well ahead of the target decided under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). 
• For energy security, the UAE supplies India with crude oil and LNG (natural gas). It also helps India store oil for emergency use in its Strategic Petroleum Reserves.
• In defense cooperation, the two countries regularly hold military exercises like Desert Eagle (Air Force) and Gulf Star (Navy). The partnership became stronger during the 13th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting in July 2025, where they agreed to improve maritime security, arrange special training programs, and develop advanced defense technologies.
• The Indian community in the UAE is the largest expatriate group there, with about 3.5 million people. They contribute to the UAE’s economy and also help keep the cultural connections between the two countries very strong.
• On the world stage, both countries work together in international groups like I2U2, BRICS, and the G20 to address global issues such as climate change, counter-terrorism, sustainable development, and peace in West Asia.

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What are the Major Challenges in India–UAE Relations?

While the relationship between India and the UAE is strong, there are some issues that both sides need to manage carefully.

• There is a high dependence on oil trade between the two countries. This means that changes in global oil prices can affect the economic relationship.
• Even though CEPA has made trade smoother, some rules, regulations, and extra costs (non-tariff barriers) still slow down business.
• The political situation in West Asia is very complex. India has to balance its partnership with the UAE while also keeping good relations with other countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. The UAE’s ties with China and Pakistan can also influence this balance.
• Security threats such as terrorism, piracy in sea routes, and cyberattacks need constant attention. 
• There are also gaps in cooperation on advanced technology. While both countries work together in tech, they need to do more in terms of joint research, innovation, and sharing high-end technologies.

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To make their relationship stronger and ready for the future, India and the UAE can take several steps.

• They should diversify economic cooperation so that it is not just dependent on oil and gas. New focus areas can be renewable energy, manufacturing, digital trade, and startups.
• Defense relations should be made stronger by having more joint military exercises, sharing maritime patrol duties, and setting up joint production of defense equipment.
• In the energy sector, both countries should lead in clean energy projects such as green hydrogen, large-scale solar power plants, and carbon capture technology to meet climate change goals.
• In technology, they can create joint innovation hubs for AI, fintech, space technologies, and cybersecurity, with research and training programs for both countries’ experts.
• At the global level, India and the UAE should use international platforms like BRICS, I2U2, and the G20 to coordinate policies and present common solutions to global challenges.

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