The close and friendly relations between India and the United Arab Emirates were highlighted by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance of the UAE. He was speaking on the occasion of Vasu Shroff Global Awards ceremony in Dubai. Addressing an audience of Indian business leaders, professionals, and diplomats, Sheikh Nahyan lauded the significant contributions of the Indian community to the UAE’s development and economic progress. “Indian professionals and business people have come to the United Arab Emirates, bringing their expertise and acumen and contributing immensely to our national development efforts,” the minister stated.
He acknowledged the mutual benefits arising from the strategic partnership between the two nations. “We recognize the important contributions that people from India have made to our country, just as we hope that India recognizes the vast economic and cultural opportunities that so many Indians have gained here in the UAE.”The UAE minister’s remarks underscored the decades-old ties between India and the UAE that have strengthened over the years into a comprehensive strategic partnership across multiple sectors, including trade, investment, energy, education, and security. With an Indian diaspora of over 3.5 million, India is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade rising to USD 85 billion in 2022-23. Investments by Indian companies and individuals in the UAE are estimated at over $85 billion.
Sheikh Nahyan highlighted how the UAE’s policies of openness and inclusion have made it a global hub attracting multinational talent and investments. He credited the leadership’s vision for transforming the United Arab Emirates into “a destination for smart, persistent, and innovative people with grand ideas.”
The Vasu Shroff Global Awards ceremony, organized by the Global Bharat Festival, honored distinguished illuminaries from India for their excellence across fields and decades of community service. With the slogan “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” the event exemplified the shared values of pluralism and multiculturalism binding India and the UAE in their quest for global peace and prosperity. Vasu Shroff is an Indian businessman and the chairman of the Regal Group, recognized among Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Indian Leaders. The Government of India honored him with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2017 for his decades-long contribution to the Indian diaspora in the UAE.
By Vinod Kumar (Dubai)
