Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a significant meeting with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Defence Minister of the UAE, to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UAE. Singh described this partnership as a “immense priority” for India, emphasizing cooperation in defence, co-production, co-development projects, innovation, and technology. The discussions focused on scaling up defence collaboration to match advancements in trade and business ties. Both leaders agreed to formalize Coast Guard cooperation through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and identified training exchanges as a key area to deepen understanding of each other’s defence ecosystems.
They also highlighted the importance of defence industry collaboration, exploring opportunities in manufacturing and co-production projects under “Make-in-India” and “Make-in-Emirates” initiatives. Additionally, Sheikh Hamdan’s visit included meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Modi emphasised Dubai’s pivotal role in advancing bilateral relations across trade, technology, connectivity, and people-to-people ties. The UAE leadership’s support for the welfare of 4.3 million Indians living in the UAE was also acknowledged during these discussions. ANI
