NEW DELHI: India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation - a core pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership - while underlining the shared interest in regional peace, security and stability.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who paid an official visit to India at the invitation of PM Modi on Monday, reviewed the full scope of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and agreed that the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has continued to strengthen over the past decade.
This was Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s fifth visit to India in the last 10 years and third official visit to India as the President of the UAE.
During their extensive discussions, both leaders welcomed the visits of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to India in the last two years, noting that these visits marked generational continuity of the bilateral relationship.
“The leaders highlighted deep respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the importance of strategic autonomy. They acknowledged steady and strong bilateral defence and security cooperation as a core pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They welcomed the momentum generated by the recent exchange of visits by the respective Service Chiefs and Commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force of both countries, and the successful conduct of bilateral military exercises. They welcomed the signing of Letter of Intent towards the conclusion of a Strategic Defence Partnership,” read a Joint Statement issued after the talks.
“The two leaders reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and emphasized that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support or commit terrorist acts. They agreed to continue cooperation within the framework of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to counter terror financing and strengthen anti-money laundering efforts,” it added. (IANS)
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