India, UAE to Hold Strategic Dialogue - Key Talks on Trade & Investment

New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will carry out a comprehensive review of their strategic ties on Thursday as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host his counterpart from the Gulf nation Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for wide-ranging talks.

Al Nahyan, also the deputy prime minister, is paying a three-day visit to India to explore ways to further expand ties between the two countries in a range of key areas including trade and investment.

The leader from the UAE is also scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jaishankar and Al Nahyan will review the entire gamut of bilateral strategic ties at a meeting of the India-UAE Strategic Dialogue on Thursday, officials said.

The two sides are also expected to deliberate on the regional security scenario including the developments in Syria.

Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Modi to the UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The bilateral trade and investment ties witnessed a major upswing after the sides inked a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) in 2022.

The trade pact provides for numerous benefits, including the elimination and reduction of tariffs, fostering an open trade environment, and enhances market access for service providers across various sectors.

It also addresses technical barriers and provides access to government procurement opportunities.

The two countries are among each other's top trading partners with a bilateral trade of about USD 85 billion in 2022-23, according to official data.

The UAE is also among the top four investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments in 2022-23.

About 3.5 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in the UAE.