India and the United Arab Emirates have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing bilateral defence cooperation during the 13th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting held in New Delhi. For the first time, the meeting was convened at the Secretary level, co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE’s Under Secretary of Defense, Lt General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi, who is leading a high-level delegation on a two-day official visit.
Both sides agreed to elevate defence relations to reflect the growing momentum in trade, investment, and social ties. Discussions focused on enhancing military training cooperation, with India offering customised training courses tailored to UAE’s specific requirements. Maritime security was also a key area of collaboration, with both nations agreeing to share real-time information to strengthen regional safety.
The meeting explored new avenues for defence collaboration, including joint manufacturing and industrial partnerships. India and UAE expressed interest in replicating successful models such as the ICOMM-CARACAL partnership for small arms production. They also discussed co-development of next-generation defence technologies in emerging fields like Artificial Intelligence, and identified opportunities in shipbuilding, refits, upgrades, and maintenance of shared platforms.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Indian Coast Guard and the UAE National Guard to formalize cooperation in search and rescue operations, pollution response, anti-piracy efforts, and other maritime security domains.
Ahead of the JDCC meeting, the two countries held the 4th Army-to-Army, 9th Navy-to-Navy, and inaugural Air-to-Air Staff Talks from July 28 to 29. These engagements focused on expanding joint military exercises, training programs, and Subject Matter Expert exchanges.
The UAE delegation is scheduled to meet Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth and participate in the 2nd India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum, co-inaugurated by UAE’s Under Secretary and India’s Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar.
India and UAE’s defence relationship continues to grow under the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark visit to the UAE in 2015. India’s participation in the Dubai Air Show in November 2025 is expected to further strengthen this strategic alignment.
