India, UAE sign Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement

An umbrella agreement on elevating bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is among 14 agreements signed by India and the UAE following delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan here on Wednesday.

"New vistas for futuristic partnership! #IndiaUAE sign 14 agreements in varied fields for enhancing bilateral cooperation," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

Though it was already agreed that the relationship between the two countries would be elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Wednesday's agreement is a general framework agreement which highlights the areas of bilateral cooperation identified under the comprehensive strategic partnership as agreed upon in the high level joint statements issued in August 2015 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and in February 2016 during Sheikh Mohamed's visit to India, according to information released by the External Affairs Ministry.

A second agreement was signed between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on storage and management of oil at strategic facilities in India. This agreement aims to establish a framework for the storage of crude oil by ADNOC in India and to further strengthen the strategic relationship between the two countries in the field of energy.

These apart, both sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of defence industry.

This MoU aims to establish cooperation in the identified fields of defence manufacturing and technology, including through studies, research, development, innovation and cooperation between public and private sector institutions of the two countries. The two sides will cooperate in areas of armaments, defence industries and transfer of technology.

Another MoU was signed on institutional cooperation on maritime transport which provides a framework for enhancing bilateral maritime trade ties through facilitating maritime transport, free transfer of monies between contracting parties and reciprocal recognition of ships' documents.

A third MoU on mutual recognition of certificates of competency aims to deepen the maritime economic activities in general by establishing a framework for Mutual Recognition of Certificates of Competency of marine officers, engineers and crews.

Other MoUs signed are on bilateral cooperation in road transport and highways sector, cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking, cooperation in the field of small and medium enterprises and innovation, agriculture and allied sectors, mutual exemption of entry visa requirements to the holders of diplomatic, special and official passports, trade remedial measures to promote cooperation in areas of mutual interest, cooperation in energy efficiency services, cooperation on programme exchange between Prasar Bharati and Emirates News Agency (WAM), and on technology development and cooperation in cyberspace.

Sheikh Mohamed, who arrived here on Tuesday on a three-day visit to India, will attend the Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest.

--IANS

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