Defence Cooperation Strengthened as Rajnath Singh Meets UAE’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan in New Delhi.
New Delhi:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with the Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Defence of UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on April 8, 2025, at South Block, New Delhi. The two leaders discussed strengthening defence cooperation and expanding collaboration in areas such as co-production, co-development, innovation, and technology.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the current defence cooperation, which includes institutional mechanisms, military exercises, and training exchanges. They agreed that the defence partnership needs to be further scaled to match the growth in other sectors such as trade and business, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
One of the key focus areas was enhancing training exchanges, which would deepen mutual understanding of each other’s defence ecosystems and further bolster bilateral defence ties. The leaders also highlighted the importance of strengthening Coast Guard-to-Coast Guard cooperation, with plans to formalize the relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Additionally, the two leaders discussed boosting collaboration in the defence industry and explored opportunities for joint ventures, co-production projects, and participation in each other’s defence expos. They agreed to align efforts with the Make-in-India and Make-in-Emirates initiatives to further the partnership.
In a post-meeting statement, Rajnath Singh emphasized the importance of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the UAE, stating that India is eager to collaborate closely on defence cooperation, co-development projects, and technological innovation in the coming years.
India and the UAE have shared a strong and enduring friendship, supported by centuries-old cultural and economic ties. The Defence Cooperation MoU between the two countries was first signed in 2003, with an additional MoU on Defence Industry Cooperation signed in 2017.
