Indian foreign minister visits Abu Dhabi to strengthen India-UAE ties

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday arrived in Abu Dhabi on an official visit aimed at further strengthening India-UAE relations, Khaleej Times reported. According to the report, Jaishankar will remain in the UAE until April 12, during which he is expected to hold meetings with senior Emirati leadership. The discussions are likely to focus on reviewing the progress of bilateral cooperation and advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. India and the UAE have in recent years significantly expanded economic and strategic engagement, underpinned by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that came into force in 2022. Both sides have set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032, reflecting the rapid growth in commercial ties. UAE Ministry of Economy data indicates that non-oil trade with India has been growing at double-digit rates, supported by strong exchanges in sectors such as food products, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, electronics, and gems and jewelery. Services trade has also seen steady expansion, further broadening the scope of economic cooperation between the two countries.