India UAE defence relations

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement is not intended.

Context:

12th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting between India & UAE held in Abu Dhabi to strengthen bilateral defence & security ties.

Details:

During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of opportunities for collaboration to further strengthen defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
Detailed discussions were held in areas such as training, joint military exercises, defence industrial cooperation, subject matter expert exchange, R&D etc.
Both sides deliberated on the regional security situation, including maritime security, and underscored the need to enhance collaboration to tackle the security challenges. Exchanging visits in different domains to benefit from experience and knowledge of each other was also discussed. Mutual exchange of training opportunities in niche areas was also agreed.

The India-UAE JDCC:

● It was established in 2006.

●Since then, 11 rounds have been held.

●The 12^th meeting provided an opportunity to further augment India’s defence and security relations with the UAE, strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

India UAE defence relations;

Bilateral Defence Cooperation:

India and UAE have seen a steady growth in their defence cooperation, paralleling their overall bilateral relations.
This cooperation includes high-level exchanges among Service Chiefs, functional level exchanges, and military education exchanges.
Regular port calls by naval ships from both countries contribute to enhancing bilateral defence cooperation.

Annual Defence Dialogue:

An Annual Defence Dialogue is conducted between India and UAE to discuss security and defence cooperation issues.
This dialogue serves as a platform to strategize and plan further cooperation initiatives.

Institutional Framework:

Defence cooperation is managed through a Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) at the Ministry level.
Naval Staff Talks at the HQ level focus on identifying new areas of cooperation between the two nations.
A permanent Defence Adviser (DA) was appointed in March 2013, strengthening defence ties, especially in training and exchange programs.

Specific Instances of Cooperation:

In 2016, the Indian Air Force (IAF) engaged in a bilateral exercise with UAE counterparts.
UAE Air Force Officers participated as Observers in a Trilateral Air Exercise on Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) theme in 2018.
The maiden IN-UAEN Bilateral Exercise named Gulf Star 1 took place in March 2018 involving Indian Navy ships.
Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels frequently make port calls to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, enhancing mutual cooperation.
Indian participation in IDEX/NAVDEX in Abu Dhabi biennially underscores continued bilateral engagement.

High-Level Visits and Exchanges:

Several high-profile visits have occurred, including delegations from UAE to DefExpo 2018 and Aero India 2019 in India.
The first Indian pavilion at Dubai Airshow featured participation from HAL, DRDO, and BDL, representing India's defence industry.

Additional Engagements:

Both countries exchange delegations to each other’s Centres of Excellence, fostering deeper cooperation in specialised areas.

Conclusion:

The India UAE defence cooperation in recent years highlights a robust and growing partnership in defence between India and UAE, spanning high-level dialogues, joint exercises, educational exchanges, and mutual visits, all contributing to strengthened bilateral relations in defence and security sectors.

India UAE relations:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/india-uae-relations#:~:text=India%20and%20the%20UAE%20engage,together%20to%20address%20regional%20challenges.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2031839

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Discuss the strategic initiatives, institutional frameworks, and specific instances of cooperation between India and UAE that have contributed to strengthening their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Evaluate the future prospects and challenges in further deepening defence collaboration between the two nations.( 250 words)