India and the UAE’s diplomatic ties continue to strengthen, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, highlighted External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday. While speaking at the launch of the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) campus in Dubai, he underlined how cooperation between the nations has surged in sectors including fintech, infrastructure, and defence.
The strengthening of relations took a major step forward in 2015, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian leader to visit the UAE in 34 years, marking a milestone moment in the partnership’s history. Jaishankar reflected on the significance of that visit: “India-UAE ties are today truly in an era of new milestones and many firsts. Indeed, Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit in 2015 is certainly a first in this Century. So too is our Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which was negotiated in record time. The trade and investment levels between our countries are at new levels and increasing with each passing year,” he noted.
He also emphasized the fintech collaborations such as RuPay-Jaywan and UPI-AANE as domain-specific firsts. In addition to these, collaborations in renewable energy, infrastructure, digital technology, defence, and security were highlighted as ground-breaking and reflective of the evolving relationship.
The Symbiosis Dubai campus, he stated, signifies an emerging trend in which educational cooperation between India and the UAE continues to deepen. This partnership is further seen as a testament to the increasingly close ties between the two nations.
Jaishankar commented on the opportunities and challenges faced by today’s youth: “Today’s youth has extraordinary opportunities and along with it, formidable challenges. You have access to technology and an exposure to the world that we could not have conceived of, even a decade ago.” He stressed that India must prepare for the global marketplace while simultaneously adapting to advancements in artificial intelligence, electric mobility, green technology, and renewable energy.
“India today needs to prepare for the global workplace…Your education can ready you for all these tasks; in fact, they are different dimensions of an integral whole,” Jaishankar added. He expressed confidence that Symbiosis would maintain its high standards and equip students with 21st-century skills.
Jaishankar later remarked on social media: “Pleased to join Minister @uaetolerance Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak in inaugurating the Dubai Campus of Symbiosis International University…Confident that today’s inauguration will foster greater collaboration & linkages between India and UAE.”
The minister also launched his book ‘Why Bharat Matters’ at Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, where he spoke on understanding global transformations and the significance of Bharat’s rise. Additionally, Jaishankar visited the Bharat Mart site in Dubai and the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, noting it as a symbol of friendship and harmony between India and the UAE.
India and the UAE established formal diplomatic relations in 1972, with the partnership growing steadily over the decades.
