UAE among India’s closest, strongest friends, says Indian envoy

As India celebrates Independence Day, UAE-India bilateral relations are undergoing a rapid and positive transformation under the guidance of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a top envoy said in Abu Dhabi.

In his address during the Indian Independence Day celebrations held at the Indian Embassy, Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE, noted that the UAE is “one of our closest and strongest friends”.

“You are all proud citizens of a country that is the fifth largest economy in the world,” he told the Indian community members after hoisting the Indian tricolour.

“India currently presides over the G20 and next month India with host the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Delhi. We look forward to the participation of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, to represent the UAE on that occasion.”

Sudhir underlined that mutual trust and respect have encouraged the broadening and deepening of bilateral ties and exploring new areas of cooperation.

“While India has engaged with all its partners around the globe, the India-UAE relationship stands apart.”

Game-changing agreements

The ambassador highlighted the three agreements inked during the visit by Modi to Abu Dhabi last month, including promoting the use of local currencies (rupee-dirham) for cross-border transactions, interlinking payment and messaging systems, and establishing a campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi) in Abu Dhabi.

Sudhir revealed that the MoUs, a “game changer”, have “far-reaching outcomes”.

“On Monday, a crude oil transaction of 1 million barrels was settled in Indian rupees and UAE dirhams. With oil and gold, we have covered the two largest traded commodities between us.”

He noted that the interlinking of payment systems and messaging systems will enable Indians living in the UAE to make financial transactions cheaper and faster when they remit money to their families back home.

“The government is committed to enhancing the ease of living for the Indian community in the UAE,” he said and underlined that the new IIT campus is a “big ray of hope” for youth to meet their educational aspirations.

The ambassador said that August 15 is a landmark day in India’s history as the country “broke free from the yoke of colonialism and centuries of exploitation”.

“Let us take a moment to reflect on the journey that brought us to where we stand today. Our forefathers, through unwavering determination, sacrifices, and a vision for a brighter future, paved the way for the India that we know today. They ignited the spark of independence that still burns bright in our hearts, and it is our responsibility to carry that flame forward,” he said and pointed out how under the leadership of Modi, India is touching new heights.

“We are not only reaching for the stars but also the moon, with Chandrayaan,” he said referring to the lunar missions by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

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