New Delhi: Co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE’s Under Secretary of Defense Lt General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi, the JDCC was held at the Secretary level for the first time. The UAE delegation is on a two-day official visit to India, with both nations reiterating their intent to elevate defence ties in line with broader cooperation across trade, investment, and social engagement.
Discussions centered on strengthening military training exchanges, with India offering to provide tailored programmes for UAE personnel. Both sides also agreed to enhance maritime security collaboration through real-time information sharing.
In exploring new avenues of defence collaboration, the two countries held talks on defence industrial partnerships, training cooperation, and Service-to-Service engagements. India and the UAE expressed intent to co-develop next-generation technologies, including Artificial Intelligence applications, and expand cooperation in shipbuilding, refits, and platform maintenance. Notably, they highlighted existing joint manufacturing initiatives such as the ICOMM (India)–CARACAL (UAE) small arms partnership.
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A key development from the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Coast Guard and the UAE National Guard to bolster cooperation in areas such as rescue operations, anti-piracy, pollution response, and maritime security.
The JDCC was preceded by the 4th Army-to-Army, 9th Navy-to-Navy, and the first Air-to-Air Staff Talks from July 28–29, 2025, aimed at deepening service-specific engagement and expert exchanges.
Looking ahead, the UAE delegation will meet Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth and participate in the 2nd India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum on July 31, co-hosted by the UAE Under Secretary and India’s Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar.
India and the UAE share a growing defence relationship, rooted in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to the UAE in 2015. India’s expected participation in the Dubai Air Show this November is anticipated to further accelerate this momentum.
