New Delhi: India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are taking crucial steps to strengthen their bilateral relationships. UAE President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India on January 19. The major focus will be on education and digital finance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a discussion with Al Nahyan, and the talk aimed to expand the collaboration between both countries across universities and financial systems. Another major area to develop would be making accessible and efficient payments and cross-border education.
The two countries are aiming to expand educational institutions. The UAE wants to build the offshore campuses of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad in the UAE. This would ensure the expansion of innovation and tinkering labs in educational institutions.
India’s Digilocker system could be in the plans, as it will integrate with UAE platforms, which can allow authentication of Indian academic documents and degrees.
The digital financial ecosystem would be enhanced as the plans to interlink the national payment platforms of both countries are underway to enable smooth, efficient, and faster cross-border payments.
The recent UAE President’s India visit was his fifth in the last 10 years and his third official visit to India as the UAE President.
Both leaders expressed belief in strengthening bilateral energy partnership as they signed a 10-year LNG Supply agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and ADNOC Gas for the delivery of 0.5 million tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas. The deal will come into work in beginning of 2028.