India, UAE discuss defence, security cooperation

UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan today held talks with defence minister Manohar Parrikar on strengthening bilateral ties in the crucial sector besides cooperation in manufacture of defence equipment.

Defence sources said the meeting, which lasted for about 20 minutes, was held in the evening at Parrikar's South Block office. 

The talks focused on strengthening defence relations, including through regular exercises and training of naval, air, land and Special Forces, and in coastal defence.

Parrikar said he looked forward to UAE's participation in International Fleet Review in India in February next year.

"The talks also focused on possible cooperation in manufacture of defence equipment in India," the sources said.

The UAE foreign minister, who is in India for the eleventh meeting of India-UAE Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation, had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.

During the meeting, the prime minister recalled his highly successful visit to the UAE and said that the new course in bilateral relations charted by the two countries would not only benefit the two countries, but also contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and beyond.

The prime minister expressed deep appreciated for the vision of the UAE's leadership in transforming the country by harnessing the possibilities of human spirit, innovation and science.

He appreciated the vibrant and multicultural society in UAE that has also embraced and protected interest of 2.6 million Indians in the country.

The foreign minister of UAE conveyed the highest importance that his country attached to comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

He reiterated UAE's commitment to expeditious implementation of the substantive outcomes emerging from the prime minister's visit to UAE in August 2015 in a broad range of areas, including trade and investment, defence, security, energy, space, renewable energy, science and technology, tourism and people to people contacts.

Opportunities of bilateral cooperation, including joint research and development in the frontier areas of science and technology; UAE investments in setting up manufacturing industry in India and strengthening cooperation in third countries were, inter alia, discussed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended a fresh invitation to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to visit India at his earliest convenience.