India, UAE advance future-ready defence partnership

New Delhi, Jul 31: Taking a step towards building a future-ready and resilient defence ecosystem, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) held a high-level seminar on defence industry cooperation in New Delhi on Thursday. The event, organised on the sidelines of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting, aimed to deepen collaboration across advanced and emerging defence technologies.

Held at the India Habitat Centre, the seminar was jointly organised by the Department of Defence Production, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), and UAE’s EDGE Group.

It brought together representatives from over 90 Indian defence companies and eight UAE firms. Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar and UAE Under Secretary of Defence, Lt Gen Ibrahim Nasser Al Alawi, co-chaired the discussions. Building on the first Defence Industry Partnership Forum in Abu Dhabi in 2024, the seminar focused on expanding cooperation in unmanned systems, naval platforms, precision munitions, cyber defence, artificial intelligence, and space-based technologies. The event also hosted B2B meetings between firms from both countries, identifying synergies in defence manufacturing, MRO, aerospace, and new-age technologies. The partnership reflects a shared vision for self-reliance, innovation, and export-led growth in the defence sector.

Dignitaries present included Indian Ambassador to the UAE Sanjay Sudhir, SIDM President Rajinder Singh Bhatia, Tawazun Council official Matar Ali Al Romaithi, and EDGE Group CEO Hamad Al Marar.