Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with an Indian Parliamentary Delegation, met Speaker of the Federal National Council of UAE Saqr Gobash here on Monday…reports Asian Lite News
Speaking on this occasion, Birla said that since 2015, after the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new momentum was set in the bilateral relations between India and UAE which was further strengthened after our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2017.
Birla noted with satisfaction that relations between India and UAE have grown in all spheres, be it politics, trade, investment, defence, security, energy and culture or people-to-people ties.
Recalling the 5th World Conference of Speakers last year, Birla said that we had detailed discussions on furthering bilateral cooperation for mutual interest and now we should extend our friendship to other areas of mutual interest.
Expressing confidence in the future ties between the countries, Birla said that India and UAE can further strengthen cooperation in new and emerging areas such as renewable energy, Artificial Intelligence, sustainable economy, health-tech and edu-tech.
Birla thanked the UAE for their support to the Indian community in UAE during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mentioning that bilateral trade has been a pillar of strength in the relationship between the two countries, Lok Sabha Speaker referred to the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the trade pact between India and the United Arab Emirates during a virtual summit led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expressed confidence that the pact would give a new height to the economic relationship between India and UAE.
Earlier, Birla with the Indian Parliamentary Delegation visited Wahat Al Karama, or the “the Oasis of Dignity”, in Abu Dhabi, and paid tributes to the brave soldiers of UAE and other Emiratis. He remembered their sacrifices in the service of their nation.
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They also agreed to establish an Emirati-Indian parliamentary friendship committee to strengthen the cooperation between the two parliamentary institutions and achieve the goals of their countries concerning matters of mutual concern.
Ghobash then commended India’s condemnation of the Houthi attacks on civilian facilities in the UAE and its full support for the UAE and its right to take whatever action it deems necessary to ensure its safety and protect sovereignty. He noted that India has been a leading supporter of the UAE’s nominations for memberships in international organisations.
He also lauded India’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, through one of the largest pavilions at the event, which showcases the country’s post-COVID-19 experience and its culture.
Birla invited Ghobash to visit India to continue their dialogue on matters of mutual concern.
