DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 15th Dec, 2021) India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla has expressed the confidence that India-UAE bilateral relations will see extraordinary developments in coming months.
"We are in the process of negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UAE," he said, adding that negotiations are proceeding well.
"We are optimistic that it will provide a unique opportunity to take India-UAE trade and investment relations to new heights. We are looking forward to the conclusion of the negotiations at the earliest," he said while speaking on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the UAE during his visit to the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
"There is a lot more to see in the India-UAE bilateral relationship as we progress. Our relationship is based on technology, finance and energy and today it is further bolstered by the most important aspect of people-to-people contact," he added.
Elaborating on the India-UAE relations, the Foreign Secretary said, "We must acknowledge that our relationship with the United Arab Emirates is at a high-point. The visit of His Highness, the Crown Prince of the Abu Dhabi [His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces], to India in 2016 and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE in 2018 opened a new chapter in our bilateral relations. Those two visits shaped our relationship."
"As India is celebrating its 75-year of independence- Amrit Mahotsav and the UAE is celebrating its 50 years of foundation, it is an extraordinary conjuncture between the two countries to come together," he went on to say.
Highlighting the significance of India’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai, Shringla said, "Dubai Expo provides a unique platform for countries to showcase their capabilities at a global level. The India Pavilion is one of the five permanent exhibitions at the Expo, and it truly showcases the progress and development made by the country in the last few years. It provides visitors a chance to witness India’s economic development and rich cultural heritage."
"We should use every opportunity to highlight the progress made by the country and the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is one such platform. We have a high footfall at the Pavilion with visitors including investors, entrepreneurs, and businesspeople coming from all over the world. The government has taken some significant steps in recent months to provide incentives and opportunities to investors and we are able to highlight it to a global audience at the India Pavilion," he concluded.
