India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday finalised key agreements on defence cooperation, long-term LPG supply, strategic petroleum reserves and shipping, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned recent attacks on the UAE and pledged India will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the Emirates.
India has been critical of Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure and other facilities in the UAE amid the West Asia conflict, and Modi’s brief stopover in Abu Dhabi at the start of a four-nation European tour came on a day when a Brics foreign ministers’ meeting hosted by India was unable to reach consensus on a joint statement because of differences between Iran and the UAE.
At a meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan — whom Modi referred to as “my brother” — the PM criticised recent attacks on the Emirates and conveyed India’s steadfast support in difficult circumstances. “We strongly condemn the attacks on the UAE. The way the UAE has been targeted is unacceptable,” he said. “India stands shoulder to shoulder with the UAE in all circumstances and will remain so in future.”
He noted that the war in West Asia is impacting the whole world and said India has always given primacy to solving problems through dialogue and diplomacy. He also lauded the UAE President’s restraint, courage and vision in coping with the situation and emphasised that one of India’s foremost priorities was that the Strait of Hormuz remains “free, open and safe”.
