India-UAE Defence Agreement

[STEPHEN COHEN]

Twitter buzz is that Rafale F4 deliveries beginning soon for UAE
-- 30 January 2026 , First Rafale to be delivered to UAE

So this agreement will be useful for Indian Air Force

 

[BHARAT KA BETA]

Reserve this talk for when amca's first prototype flies.

The future of air combat, is in system of system's approach, this is what 6th generation is about.

But unlike US and china our central/lead node(amca) will be more limited.

In a forced choice, the U.S. would almost certainly prioritize Saudi Arabia (KSA), though the decision would be strategically painful.

I think from UAE's perspective, AMCA mk1 with USA powerplant F414 is not a good option. UAE is most probably interested in AMCA mk2 system with Indigenous powerplant.
As far as the First prototype of AMCA is concerned, I think we can expect it to take first flight in 2028 at best. It is a keystone project for India's Security and Strategic Autonomy . But most people are doubtful, ofcourse by obvious reasons, about the timeline meeting because of the past records of Indian Approaches.

 

[Hydra]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2013249731951026619

Any deals signed? No.

 

[Gautam]

This visit is for the AI summit? Or something else?

https://twitter.com/x/status/2024134697455178118

 

[Shan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2048357143355777519

 

[Thunder]

UAE exits oil production groups OPEC, OPEC+ amid global energy crisis

The decision, confirmed on Tuesday, delivers a big setback to the oil-producing alliance and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia. The UAE, long seen as a major and reliable member, stepping away now risks weakening coordination within the bloc.

www.indiatoday.in

 

[babablacksheep]

India-UAE moving towards strategic defence cooperation

The UAE apart from being India’s close ally is also one of the top five energy suppliers to New Delhi.| India News

www.hindustantimes.com

A day after BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had swept to power in West Bengal, the Indian leader took an unusual step to condemn the ballistic missile, drone and cruise missile attack on Fujairah Port in UAE by Iran across the Persian Gulf. The PM not only stood in solidarity with the UAE but also called for freedom of navigation in the Straits of Hormuz. Since the Iran-US war started, UAE has engaged 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2260 drone attacks from Iran on its territory due to US airbases in the Emirate and its ties with Israel.
The attack on Fujairah port by Iran was calculated as this port apart from Khor Fakkan port are both outside the Straits of Hormuz and in the Gulf of Oman. With UAE walking out of Saudi Arabia dominated OPEC, the two ports will be able to satisfy global energy hunger which is being held to ransom by Iran using Strait of Hormuz as a choke point. UAE is one country in the West Asia that has been hit by more Iranian missiles than even Israel as Tehran cannot come to terms with its growing ties with Israel as well as the Emirate being the economic development icon of Middle-East.
While Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed a defence pact with Pakistan through a mutual defence agreement, PM Modi and his close personal friend Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the UAE President, want to forge a strategic defence partnership after the two countries signed a Letter of Intent when MBZ came to India for three hours on January 19 with his entire Cabinet. The two sides have planned to establish a Strategic Defence Partnership Agreement in six months after signing of LoI and expand cooperation in areas such as defence industrial collaboration, defence innovation, special operations and interoperability, cyber space and counter-terrorism. Recently, UAE decided not to roll-over Pakistani debt to the tune of USD 3.45 billion as a result of which Islamabad had to borrow from Riyadh to pay Abu Dhabi.

With PM Modi scheduled to land in Abu Dhabi on May 18 while en-route to Netherlands, all eyes are on the two countries as they cement their bilateral relationship with Mundra-Fujairah-Aqaba being projected as the new trade axis. UAE last month has formalized a USD 2.3 billion agreement to construct a 360 km railroad to connect Jordan’s rock-phosphate and Potash mines to Aqaba port in the Red Sea. Both rock phosphate and potash are used for making fertilizer, which is in high demand for India.

The UAE apart from being India’s close ally is also one of the top five energy suppliers to New Delhi. In 2024-2025, India imported USD 13.6 billion (almost 10 percent of the country's total crude imports which is about 23 million tons), LNG and LPG worth USD 7.51 billion from the Emirates.

With both US and Iran jostling over Straits of Hormuz for dominance and leverage on global energy, India is expected to further deepen its relations with UAE so that both countries mutually benefit each other as New Delhi needs energy security and Abu Dhabi needs food security with both countries against radicalization and terrorism

 

[Shan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2055192780553810337

Can this thread be re-named to India-UAE relations? If there is a thread that exists for it already, please move this to that thread. @Ashwin, @Gautam

 

[spice]

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2261385&reg=3&lang=1

List of Outcomes: Prime Minister’s Visit to the UAE​

MoU on Strategic Collaboration between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)​	(a) Potential ADNOC crude oil storage in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves upto 30 million barrels, including through its participation in facilities in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh; and development of reserve facilities in Chandikol, Odisha. (b) Potential storage of crude oil in Fujairah, UAE, to form part of the Indian strategic petroleum reserve; (c) Potential collaboration in Liquid Natural Gas and Liquid Petroleum Gas storage facilities in India​
Strategic Collaboration Agreement between Indian Oil Limited (IOCL) Company and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on supplies of Liquified Petroleum gas (LPG)​	Explore potential opportunities in the sale and purchase of LPG, including long term supply of LPG, and entry into a long-term LPG sale and purchase agreement between ADNOC Gas Limited and IOCL.​
Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership​	A Strategic Framework for Defence Industrial collaboration, innovation and advanced technology, training, exercises, education and doctrine, special operations and interoperability, maritime security, cyber defence, secure communications and information exchange.​
MoU between Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and Drydocks World (DDW) on setting up Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar​	Cooperation for setting up a Ship Repair Cluster at Vadinar, including offshore fabrication, under the Maritime Development Fund Scheme launched by the Government of India.​
MoU between Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Drydocks World (DDW) and Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Shipbuilding (CEMS) on Skill Development in Ship Repair​	The tripartite agreement establishes a framework to mobilize, train and employ skilled maritime workforce. The MoU seeks to enhance capabilities of Indian maritime workforce and position India as a hub for skilled shipbuilding and ship repair professionals.​
Term Sheet for setting up 8 Exaflop Super Computing Cluster in partnership between CDAC, India and G-42, UAE​	Pave the way for collaboration between CDAC and G-42 to set up super computing cluster as part of AI Mission India.

 

[spice]

India, UAE look to jointly make drones, ships, missiles and ammunition - The Tribune

The agreement called the Strategic Framework for Defence Industrial collaboration goes beyond industry and technology.

www.tribuneindia.com

Sources said that the two sides are pursuing joint manufacturing initiatives, including production models like the collaboration between India's ICOMM and the UAE's CARACAL for small arms. Both sides are targeting joint production in high-tech defence areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles, naval platforms, artificial intelligence and precision munitions.

This, upgraded partnership would pave the way for manufacturing, technology transfer and capability development.

In April 2025 the two sides elevated the institutional framework of defence dialogue between the two countries to the level of Secretaries and Vice Ministers.

India-UAE Defence Industry Cooperation Forum has meet twice in the past two years with the Ministry of Defence guiding the talks. The forum brings together industry leaders and government officials from both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration in defence manufacturing and technology.

Defence is one of the pillars of the existing India–UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership inked in 2017. Steady progress has been made through regular exchanges of service chiefs and senior commanders, along with successful bilateral military exercises involving the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Defence ties are steered through a Joint Defence Co-operation Committee (JDCC) at the Ministry level, since the signing of an MoU on Defence Cooperation in June 2003.