India, UAE Foray in Defense and Security Cooperation
20:03 20.01.2017Get short URL
India is trying to loosen Pakistan's strategic proximity with Gulf countries by promoting greater emphasis on defense and security cooperation.
New Delhi (Sputnik) – India and UAE held their first meeting focusing on strategic cooperation as part of New Delhi's efforts for closer defense and security ties with Gulf countries.
"During the meeting, the two sides discussed cooperation in trade and investments as well as new areas such as energy security, defense and security, electronics, IT and space," said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson in a statement.
UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash led the dialogue held on the eve of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit as the Chief Guest at India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
UAE is India's important trading partner and among the top investors. It is also the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India.
But India for the past several years has been keen to strike a closer strategic partnership with West Asian countries that have traditional security proximity with Pakistan. Washington is their main underwriter of security and Donald Trump's recent statements may also have spurred them to explore security ties with regional heavyweights such as China, India and Russia.
Significantly, Pakistan Army chief Qamar Ahmed Bajwa called on the Saudi Arabian Ambassador in Islamabad on the same day as the India-UAE talks on strategic cooperation and assured him of complete security cooperation.
© Sputnik
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