India-UAE backs for deepening relations in new areas at JCM

India and the UAE on Tuesday sought to forge a partnership in new areas as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj co-chaired the UAE-India Joint Commission Meeting with her counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Swaraj, who is here on a two-day visit, was warmly received by the Foreign Minister of the UAE on her arrival at the meeting venue.

"Reinforcing the strong bonds of friendship...The ministers looked forward to continuing the trend to strengthen & seek partnership in new areas," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

This is the 12th session of the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting for Economic and Technical Cooperation.

With nearly USD 50 billion bilateral trade, the two countries are one of the largest trade partners for each other and have made robust investments bilaterally. The UAE is the sixth-largest source of Indian oil imports and hosts a 3.3 million-strong Indian community.

Along with the UAE Foreign Minister, Swaraj would also inaugurate a Gandhi-Zayed Digital Museum in Abu Dhabi to mark the celebrations of 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth and centenary celebrations of the birth of Sheikh Zayed, founder of the modern UAE.

She would also interact with the Indian community in Abu Dhabi.

(With inputs from agencies.)