India–UAE Defence Cooperation Strengthens at 13th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) Meeting

On 30 July 2025, the 13 th meeting of the India-UAE JDCC in New Delhi was conducted and served as another stepping stone in bilateral defence relationships. At the level of Secretary of the Minister, the meeting has re-affirmed the strategic intentions of both parties to boost and upgrade the military, industrial and maritime collaboration.

Background India-UAE Strategic Defence Ties

• During the visit of PM Modi to UAE, bilateral relations were brought to a new level through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2015).

• The area of the defence partnership is one of the most crucial pillars, which represents the wider geopolitics and similar interests in security of the Indian Ocean region.

• The expanding synergy is characterized by frequent military exercises, and shared production, as well as transfer of technology.

Main Results of the 13 th Meeting of the JDCC

• High-Level Representation:

  • Co-chairs are Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh (India) and Lt Gen Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi (UAE).

  • Held at Secretary-level and indicated high strategic intent, the first time.

• Intensified Training Cooperation:

  • Concurring to boost the training interactions between the military and tailoring Indian training program to meet the demands of the UAE.

  • Build capacities and facilities that allow interoperability.

• Maritime Security Cooperation:

  • A contract on the sharing of information on maritime domain awareness.

  • Enhanced anti-piracy, response to pollution, and search and rescue cooperation.

• Defence Industrial cooperation:

  • The possibility to speak about joint production of small arms like ICOMM (India) and CARACAL (UAE).

  • Co-development road maps of next-gen technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI).

  • Identified opportunities were in shipbuilding, platform maintenance, refits, and upgrading.

• Institutionalised Cooperation:

  • UAE National Guard and Indian Coast Guard sing MoU in effort to improve the synergy in coastal and maritime safety.

  • Staff Talks done:

    • 4th Army-to-Army

    • 9th Navy-to-Navy

    • 1st Air-to-Air

  • Concentrating on the military exercises, SME exchanges, and training.

Strategic and Diplomatic Importance

• India harmonises defence diplomacy with West Asia whose major region is the gulf.

• Increases the capability of India acting as a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

• The Indian defence manufacturing and training ecosystem stands to benefit UAE, and the latter gets strategic reach into West Asia.

Future Engagements

• The UAE delegation will visit the Deputy Minister of Defence of India Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth and will attend the 2 nd India-UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum.

• India is participating in the Dubai Air Show (Nov 2025) which will increase aerospace cooperation.

Conclusion

The 13 th JDCC summit is a major stride towards India and UAE strategic and defence partnerships which is augmenting the greater peace, stability, and cooperation vision in the whole region. 25 As the geopolitical relationships in the Indian Ocean and West Asia change, this defence relation can be seen as the enhanced status of India as a responsible and capable partner in strategies.