**Summary:**
On July 30, 2025, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) convened the 13th India-UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting in New Delhi, co-chaired by Indian Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE Under Secretary of Defense, Lt General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi. Both nations committed to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, aligning with growing ties in trade, investment, and people-to-people relations. Key areas of discussion included enhanced military training cooperation, with India offering customized courses to meet UAE's specific requirements, and collaboration on maritime security through information sharing. Both sides will explore joint manufacturing initiatives, including those modelled after the ICOMM India-CARACAL UAE partnership for small arms production, co-development of next-generation defence technologies in areas like Artificial Intelligence, and opportunities in shipbuilding (refits/upgrades) and maintenance of common platforms. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Indian Coast Guard and the UAE National Guard to enhance cooperation in search and rescue operations, pollution response, anti-piracy efforts, and broader maritime security domains. Prior to the JDCC meeting, the 4th Army-to-Army, 9th Navy-to-Navy, and inaugural Air-to-Air Staff Talks were held from July 28-29, 2025, focusing on enhancing military exercises, training, and Subject Matter Expert Exchange. The UAE delegation will also meet with Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth and participate in the 2nd India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum, co-inaugurated by the UAE Under Secretary and Indias Secretary Defence Production Shri Sanjeev Kumar. India's participation in the Dubai Air Show in November 2025 is expected to further strengthen the defence relationship, which is underpinned by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2015.
Key Entities Referenced
India: A country involved in a defence partnership with the UAE.
United Arab Emirates: A country involved in a defence partnership with India.
New Delhi: Location of the 13th India-UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting.
Rajesh Kumar Singh: Defence Secretary of India and co-chair of the JDCC meeting.
Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi: Under Secretary of Defense of the UAE and co-chair of the JDCC meeting.
Indian Coast Guard: An entity that signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE National Guard.
UAE National Guard: An entity that signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Coast Guard.
Dubai Air Show: An event in November 2025 where India will participate.
Ministry of Defence
India & UAE Commit to Deepening Defence
Partnership at 13th Joint Defence Cooperation
Committee Meeting
Posted On: 30 JUL 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi
India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence
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cooperation during the 13 India-UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting, held at the
Secretary level for the first time, in New Delhi on July 30, 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by Defence
Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE’s Under Secretary of Defense, Lt General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al
Alawi, who is leading a high-level defence delegation on a two-day official visit to India. Both sides agreed to
elevate defence ties to match the growing momentum in areas such as trade, investment, and people to people
relations.
The two sides agreed to enhance military training cooperation and discussed their respective training
requirements. India offered to provide customised training courses tailored to the UAE’s needs. They also
agreed to cooperate on maritime security through sharing of information.
In a bid to explore new avenues of defence collaboration, both countries held discussions on
training cooperation, defence industrial partnerships, and Service-to-Service engagements. They
agreed to pursue joint manufacturing initiatives, including models similar to the collaboration
between ICOMM (India) and CARACAL (UAE) for small arms production. The potential for co-
developing next generation defence technologies in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence
was also discussed, alongside opportunities in shipbuilding including refits and upgrades, and
maintenance of common platforms.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Indian Coast Guard and the UAE National Guard
to establish a framework for enhanced cooperation in search and rescue operations, pollution response, anti-
piracy efforts, and related maritime security domains.
th th
In the run-up to the JDCC, India and UAE also held the 4 Army-to-Army, 9 Navy-to-Navy, and
inaugural Air-to-Air Staff Talks from July 28-29, 2025. These deliberations focused on enhancing
military exercises, training, and Subject Matter Expert Exchange.
The UAE delegation is scheduled to call on the Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth on July 31,
nd
2025, and will participate in the 2 India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum, co-inaugurated
by the UAE Under Secretary and India’s Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar.
India and UAE share a robust and growing defence relationship, underpinned by the
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s
landmark visit to the UAE in 2015. India’s upcoming participation in the Dubai Air Show in
November 2025 is set to further reinforce this momentum.****
VK/SR/KB
(Release ID: 2150322)