How UAE, India are realising a common vision

Dubai - Khaleej Times interview with T.P. Seetharam, Indian Ambassador to the UAE.

The ongoing visit of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to India is the fourth high-level engagement between the UAE and India.
The visit shows the level of political and practical investments the two countries are putting into this partnership, T.P. Seetharam, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, had told Khaleej Times in an interview ahead of the visit.
Excerpts from the interview:
>New connections: "The level of political engagement has been raised after PM Modi's visit. As the relationship rises to a new level, you need new connections," said Seetharam.
> Common ground: The UAE is already a major player in the renewable energy sphere, smart cities and semiconductors - sectors which India would like to benefit from. The two countries are alike in their diversification programmes. There is common ground, which they are trying to exploit for the common good.
> Space cooperation: Officials from the UAE visited the Indian Space Research Organisation last year. The UAE has planned a Mars mission by 2021; India is already orbiting the red planet. "That is engagement. That is how you translate a vision document into reality."
> Several Dubais in India: On February 20, Smart City Kochi will go online. Eighty per cent investment will be from Dubai. India has identified metropolises which could be turned into smart cities. "Certainly, the UAE is a good partner. Effectively, we are trying to build several Dubais in India."
> Enduring partnership: Seetharam said the UAE leader-ship is hearing what is happening in India; they like what hear and find it worthwhile to forge a long and enduring partnership. This does not mean they are going in with their eyes closed. But there are certain things that they cannot ignore, like 7.3 per cent growth, which puts it ahead of other economies.
> Security ties: "Joint defence production is part of this comprehensive, strategic partner-ship. Strengthening defence ties, whether it be training, and joint exercises ... all this you will see an increase. It was also agreed (to) fight terrorism jointly, which means sharing of information. If terror is a security problem for the UAE, it is a problem for India."
> Visas for citizens: "For UAE, we have this electronic tourist visa arrangement, which means Emiratis don't need to come to an embassy or queue up anywhere. They can sit at home and apply and get an electronic document in three to four days which allows them to travel to India for tourism, medical treatment and business. We do not expect a reciprocal visa arrangement from the UAE."
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