UAE’s new Indian ambassador eyes joint priority areas

Defence, security, space and nuclear power are some of the areas India’s new ambassador to the UAE plans on focusing on during his tenure.

Navdeep Suri, the new Indian ambassador, comes to the UAE after more than 30 years as a diplomat. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

ABU DHABI // As Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, prepares to visit India, India’s new ambassador to the UAE says defence, security, space and nuclear power will be the big issues of his tenure.

Sheikh Mohammed will be chief guest at India’s republic day celebrations on January 26, where agreements in those fields will be signed by thecountries.

Ambassador Navdeep Suri, who arrived in the UAE last month, said: “The momentum we see in this relationship can be gauged by the fact that since the visit of prime minister Narendra Modi in August 2015, Sheikh Mohammed visited India last February and, in less than a year, he is back for a second state visit, which is very special.

“India has been getting a lot of attention thanks to its economy and its position on the global stage. So, we will have 70 heads of state coming this year, but there is one who is chosen for a special focus and that visit is being awaited with a lot of anticipation.”

He said Sheikh Mohammed’s visit would take the bilateral relationship to the next level, anticipating important developments in trade, investment, defence, security and counter-terrorism.

“There is a lot we have on the table,” said Mr Suri. “Defence is important because we live in a fairly volatile period and in a region that has been particularly hit by that volatility. In that region, India and the UAE are islands of stability and there is a recognition that by working together, we can contribute a lot more to regional stability.”

Last year, the countries set up a joint infrastructure investment fund and US$75 billion (Dh275.4bn) will go towards India’s roads, airports, ports, railways and parks. It is a project that commands Mr Suri’s attention.

“We will see how we can work closely with agencies like the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala to make it a reality,” he said.

“We have huge requirements to develop our infrastructure. Some estimates suggest we have a need to spend up to a trillion dollars in infrastructure over the next few years if we are to achieve some of our development goals.”

Given the size of India’s population, analysts said it has vast potential.

“India is re-emerging as a hub of the global economy after more than two centuries and it is hungry for the sort of rewarding partnerships with friendly states like the UAE that contribute to and strengthen this economic ascendancy,” said Sabahat Khan, senior analyst at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis in Dubai.

“Indian expatriates in the UAE have also become an important diaspora for economic activity, benefiting both countries and deepening ties. Defence, security, space and nuclear power have been identified as technical fields where the UAE and India can forge new partnerships.”

Others believe the relationship has entered a golden era.

“We haven’t seen it reach such a high level in 40 to 50 years, since the UAE’s establishment,” said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, chairman of the Arab Council for Social Sciences.

“India is a rising regional power and its economy is booming. The UAE sees that India is an important partner for the future, so it is only logical that this huge trade and commercial relationship feeds into a political and strategic one that is attaining new heights.”

Mr Suri, who graduated with a master’s degree in economics, joined the Indian foreign service in 1983.

He has served as the Indian high commissioner in Canberra, Australia, and in India’s diplomatic missions in Cairo, Damascus, Washington DC, Dar es Salaam and London as well as consul general in Johannesburg.

He has also written on India’s Africa policy, public diplomacy and the IT outsourcing industry.