Our Correspondent / New Delhi
India and the UAE today signed 14 agreements in various fields including in defence, maritime transport, comprehensive strategic partnership, shipping, agriculture and allied sector, trade, oil storage and management, energy efficiency, road transport and highways and prevention and combating human trafficking.
The agreements were signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
In his press statement, Prime Minister Modi invited UAE to become India’s partner in infrastructure projects. He said India is encouraging and facilitating the trade between the two sides. He said energy partnership between India and UAE is crucial.
He said, India and UAE share similar concerns over terrorism and radicalization. He said the two countries feel that their growing engagement in countering violence and extremism is necessary for securing the societies.
Speaking about India UAE ties in the economy, the Prime Minister said India regards UAE as an important partner in India’s growth story. He said closer ties between India and the UAE are of importance, not just for both countries, but for the entire neighbourhood.
A special tete-a-tete before delegation level talks was held between the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister earlier this morning. The Crown Prince was accorded ceremonial reception at the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhawan this morning.
The visiting dignitary, who is the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, arrived in the national capital yesterday on a three-day visit. He will witness Republic Day Parade tomorrow as a chief guest. This is the second visit of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to India since February last year.
The two countries are among each other’s top trading partners with a well-balanced bilateral trade of about 50 billion dollars in 2015-16. UAE is among the top investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments.
List of Agreements/MOUs exchanged during the State visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to India