India, UAE sign MoU to facilitate polar and ocean research cooperation, academic collaboration

NEW DELHI : At the 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) in New Delhi an MoU was signed between the Emirates Polar Mission Steering Committee, UAE, and India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) to enhance cooperation in polar and ocean regions’ research, operations, academic collaboration, and capacity building.

The 15th JCM Meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“The MoU will facilitate cooperation between the two sides in the fields of polar and ocean regions through partnerships in polar operations, research and academic collaborations, capacity building and supporting each other’s presence at the poles,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

Jaishankar and his UAE counterpart Al Nahyan were joined by Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Special Envoy for India, Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, UAE Minister of State for Economic and Trade Affairs, Ambassadors, and senior officials from both sides.

Sharing a post on X, Jaiswal wrote, “On the sidelines of 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting, an MoU on Polar Research Collaboration was signed between the Emirates Polar Mission Steering Committee of UAE & the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) of India.

“The MoU will facilitate cooperation between India & UAE in the field of polar and ocean regions through partnerships in polar operations, research & academic collaborations and capacity building,” the post added.

On the sidelines of the 15th JCM Meeting, both the ministers also expressed satisfaction over the active and growing exchanges between the two countries in the defence and security sector, which aligned with the broader strategic goals of the two countries.

They welcomed the successful completion of the first Army-Army exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’ in January 2024 and the holding of the first-ever India-UAE defence partnership forum involving the defence industries of the two countries, the MEA said.

Both ministers also commended the functioning of the IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi campus, which was inaugurated by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed on September 2, 2024.

They reviewed the ongoing work to establish the overseas campus of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in Dubai. They highlighted the need to strengthen partnerships between Higher Education Institutes of both the countries, with a focus on advancing joint research initiatives, academic exchanges, and the development of new technologies.

Jaishankar and his UAE counterpart also emphasised the importance of promoting greater cooperation in different fields such as space, healthcare, food security/ agritech, logistics and supply chains.

Jaishankar also thanked the UAE leadership for the care and hospitality extended to the 3.89 million Indians in the UAE. Al Nahyan appreciated the contribution of the Indian community to UAE’s progress and development. Both sides agreed to hold the meetings of various institutional dialogues to resolve consular issues and enhance collaboration in skills and manpower in the coming months, the MEA added.

Yesterday, Jaishankar and Al Nahyan co-chaired the 4th India-UAE Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi.

Jaishankar said that there was a very productive exchange on promising domains and key interests. (ANI)