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UAE Freezones Biz News Updates
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India and the UAE: Envisioning a Partnership for the Future
The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of India are committed to building
a modern strategic partnership based on the two countries' shared values of
religious tolerance and the importance of building open, multi-cultural
societies that are respectful of differences related to faith.
On the occasion of the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE
Armed Forces, to attend the 68th Republic Day celebrations of India as chief
guest, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra
Modi, issued the following joint op-ed: "India and the UAE are linked by our
common desire to build a resilient modern strategic partnership.
This desire has become more manifest in the last two years.
In this time, we have personally built a bond of friendship that has allowed
us to shed the traditional approach of incremental progress.
"Instead, we are using the springboard of our friendship to give our
partnership a bold new vision that goes beyond our bilateral relations.
We will contribute to a regional order that reflects our shared interest in
stability, prosperity and tolerance. That is the promise that we have made
to each other.
"In this enterprise, we are fortunate to be able to draw on centuries of
accumulated goodwill and understanding between our nations. The promise that
the late Sheikh Zayed bin Nahyan, Father of the Nation of the UAE so
presciently foresaw in 1970, even before UAE’s independence, is translating
into purposive action today. He had said then, while speaking in an
interview, 'Our relations go back some 4,000 years when we had flourishing
trade and commerce with India; and now that we are about to be independent,
we would like these bonds to be restored and strengthened in every possible
way' - there are boundless possibilities for trade, commerce, even joint
projects."
"The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to which we have committed our
countries builds upon the vision of the respected leader. It also builds on
our extensive discussions in Abu Dhabi in August 2015 and in New Delhi in
February 2016. It sets out a clear roadmap to restore and strengthen our
historic ties but also looks at several entirely new areas of cooperation.
As nations, UAE and India have grown to respect each other for our shared
values of religious tolerance and the importance of building open,
multicultural societies that are respectful of differences related to faith,
ethnicity or language.
We have been unequivocal in our rejection of religious extremism and the
atmosphere of hate and terror that it has produced. We have been equally
forthright in condemning terrorism in all its manifestations and in refusing
to accept false justifications for terrorism in the name of religious or
political objectives.
We have denounced and opposed terrorism in all forms and manifestations,
wherever committed and by whomever, calling on all states to reject and
abandon the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism
infrastructures where they exist, and bring perpetrators of terrorism to
justice.
We believe that this approach is crucial for fostering an environment of
peace, stability and prosperity in our region.
"We have also strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Kabul and Kandahar
on 10th January, 2017 and the terrible loss of lives of UAE and Afghan
nationals in these attacks.
Our countries have decided to intensify our defence cooperation, expanding
the scope of our training programmes, increasing our joint exercises and
exploring opportunities for co-production of defence materials.
The presence of a contingent from the UAE Air Force in Delhi, marching down
Rajpath in step with their Indian counterparts as part of the Republic Day
parade, is a powerful visual symbol of cooperation.
"We have also made strides in our economic engagement. India is the UAE's
largest trading partner and for India, the UAE ranks third after US and
China.
The entrepreneurship of the Indian business community has long been
recognised in the UAE where they are present on a big scale; a relatively
more recent phenomenon is the growing investments from the UAE into the
Indian economy in key areas like infrastructure, energy, healthcare, retail,
hospitality and real estate.
These mutual flows are anticipated to increase and will constitute a dynamic
pillar of our partnership.
"India recognises that rapid development of infrastructure holds the key to
meeting India's development aspirations. Some of the UAE's largest companies
are world leaders in this area and we hope to encourage greater
participation by them in India's ambitious plans to develop highways, ports,
airports and logistics hubs. We are also exploring innovative approaches in
the equally important area of food security.
"As a major exporter of crude oil, the UAE has been a reliable partner in
India's quest for energy security.
But we are also looking beyond fossil fuels at the world that we want to
bequeath to future generations.
The UAE's decision to establish MASDAR was a trend-setter for the world, and
India has set up extremely ambitious targets for the share of renewable
energy in its own energy-mix.
The UAE plans to join the Indo-French initiative to establish an
International Solar Alliance and India is an ardent advocate and partner of
the Abu Dhabi based International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA.
"The role of the 2.6 million strong Indian community in the UAE is
appreciated in both nations; for India, as a visible testament to the
strength and success of our diaspora that enriches us in turn; for the UAE,
as a valuable contribution to its development and national life.
The bonds of trade, investment, friendship and personal relations that have
taken root between the UAE and India represents an especially strong bridge
between our countries.
"An eye on the future is also manifest in our dialogue on cooperation
between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the UAE Space Agency.
India is one of just four countries to have successfully sent a mission to
Mars. The UAE also has an ambitious programme in this field. By working
together, we intend to demonstrate that not even the sky is the limit for
our cooperation.
"Today, we are moving towards a deeper, stronger and more intense engagement
with each other.
This rests on a strategic vision shared by us and on the extensive network
of personal and people to people contacts between us.
"We are confident that we have created strong and robust platforms and
mechanisms to take our relationship to new heights. India and the UAE are
determined to fulfill the promise of our partnership for our people and our
region."
January 25, 2017
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Courtesy Dubai Media Incorporated
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