India, UAE agree to work on joint development projects

India and the UAE have agreed to start joint development projects for third countries, including in the war-torn Afghanistan, according to a joint statement issued today after Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his second visit to the oil-rich country.
Modi arrived in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, yesterday and held wide-ranging talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi as the two sides signed five agreements, including a historic pact awarding a consortium of Indian oil companies a 10 per cent stake in offshore oil concession.
He thanked the UAE for being a reliable partner in India's energy security and invited the Crown Prince to visit India.

The two leaders affirmed their vision of a forward- looking comprehensive strategic partnership for prosperity, growth and security of the two countries.
"The two leaders also discussed the importance of sharing each other's experience in the field of development and aid. In line with this, they agreed to initiate joint development projects for third countries, including exploring joint projects in Afghanistan in line with the need of the people of Afghanistan," the statement said.
The two countries agreed to enhance consultations on mutual recognition of educational degrees.

"They agreed to deepen cooperation especially in areas of smart classroom and digital education," the statement said.

The two sides reiterated their common desire to work together in the spirit of South-South cooperation in sub- Saharan Africa, particularly through capacity-building, grants and loans, collaboration in trade and technology, and joint projects aimed at supporting the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals.
Recognising that both India and the UAE are multicultural and pluralistic societies, the two leaders reaffirmed their common resolve in promoting the values of tolerance, peace, inclusiveness and in countering extremist ideologies, the statement said.
The two sides agreed to further enhance their cooperation in areas of green energy and climate change under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Modi visited the United Arab Emirates for the second time after his 2015 trip to the Gulf country.