New Delhi: In a significant stride towards expanding defence cooperation, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) convened the 13th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting in New Delhi on July 30, 2025. Marking a strategic upgrade, this edition was co-chaired at the Secretary level for the first time—by India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE’s Under Secretary of Defense, Lt General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi.
The high-level dialogue underscored both nations’ intent to elevate defence engagement to match the broader trajectory of bilateral relations, including trade, investment, and people-to-people ties.
Elevated Strategic Dialogue and Tailored Training Cooperation
During the discussions, both sides committed to strengthening cooperation across military training, defence industry, and maritime security. India offered to customise training programmes for UAE personnel, aligning with the Emirati forces’ specific operational and tactical requirements.
Enhanced maritime cooperation also featured prominently, with both countries agreeing to real-time information sharing for joint maritime domain awareness—critical in combating piracy, illegal trafficking, and ensuring secure sea lanes.
Boost to Defence Manufacturing and Technology Collaboration
A core agenda of the meeting was to unlock new opportunities in co-development and joint production. The two sides took forward discussions on industrial collaboration, referencing the ICOMM-CARACAL partnership for small arms production as a working model for future ventures.
Emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence, were identified as a priority area for co-development. The talks also explored collaboration in shipbuilding, upgrades, refits, and maintenance especially for common platforms operated by both nations.
MoU Signed Between Indian Coast Guard and UAE National Guard
To institutionalise cooperation in maritime security, India and UAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Coast Guard and UAE’s National Guard. The agreement aims to enhance coordination in key areas such as search and rescue (SAR), anti-piracy operations, pollution response, and maritime domain security.
Bilateral Service-to-Service Engagements Gain Momentum
The JDCC was preceded by several high-level service-specific talks held on July 28–29. These included the 4th Army-to-Army Staff Talks, 9th Navy-to-Navy dialogue, and the inaugural Air-to-Air Staff Talks. Discussions focused on expanding joint exercises, training exchanges, and Subject Matter Expert (SME) collaboration.
These engagements reflect a systematic effort to deepen operational interoperability between the two militaries.
Industry Forum and Leadership Meetings Scheduled
The UAE delegation is also scheduled to meet Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth on July 31. Further, the 2nd India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum will be co-inaugurated by Lt Gen Al Alawi and India’s Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar.
This forum is expected to reinforce industrial synergies, providing a platform for defence firms from both countries to explore co-production and technology-sharing avenues.
Looking Ahead: Defence Cooperation Built on Strategic Foundations
India and the UAE’s defence partnership continues to mature under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark 2015 visit. With India set to participate in the Dubai Air Show in November 2025, the engagement is expected to scale new heights in defence diplomacy and capability collaboration.
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