What happened?
On July 30, 2025, India and the UAE held the 13th Joint Defence Co-operation Committee (JDCC) meeting in New Delhi. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE’s Under Secretary of Defense Lt Gen Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi led the discussions. The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in military training, defence industry, and maritime security. India offered customised training for UAE forces, while both countries discussed joint manufacturing models, such as the ICOMM–CARACAL small arms collaboration. They also explored co-developing next-gen technologies including AI, and shipbuilding projects. A key highlight was the signing of an MoU between the Indian Coast Guard and UAE National Guard for cooperation in search and rescue, anti-piracy, and pollution response.
Why it matters to India
This meeting reflects India’s growing defence ties with West Asia. It builds on the strong foundation set by Prime Minister Modi’s 2015 visit to the UAE. In the lead-up, the two nations held Army, Navy, and Air Force staff talks from July 28–29 to enhance service-level cooperation. The UAE delegation is also set to meet Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth and attend the 2nd India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum. The engagement supports India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat goals and strengthens its role in the evolving geo-strategic landscape of the Middle East.