UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan said at the opening of the ministerial session of the Indo-UAE Joint Commission here (June 5-6) that “at a regional level, we also look forward to an increased involvement by India in issues affecting the Gulf and neighbouring countries” and that “it is in both of our interests to work together more and more closely.”

It may be noted that the connection between the security and stability in the two regions was first propounded in 1981 by the late Mrs. Indira Gandhi and UAE President Shaikh Zayed when the Indian Prime Minister visited Abu Dhabi in May 1981. It was for the first time then that the Joint Communique issued at the end of her visit explicitly stated that peace in one region was important for peace in the other region.

Shaikh Abdullah, hosted by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, did not use the same expression but derived the link, which in fact has been a cornerstone of the bilateral relations between the two countries.

India and the UAE are already in a strategic pact, signed on July 1, 2003 when a high-level delegation led by the then Chief of Staff and now the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan visited India.

That agreement envisages cooperation in security, defence policy, development of defence cooperation, training for UAE military and military medical personnel, exchange of cultural and sports activities between the friendly forces of the two countries and joint efforts to tackle environmental issues, particularly pollution in the seas.

The then Indian Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, K C Singh, played a key role in the agreement, a natural follow up of the 1981 accord between Shaikh Zayed and Mrs. Indira Gandhi.

India has trade relations with the Gulf region for thousands of years. Indian princes were the biggest buyers of pearls from the region, known as the Basra pearls, brought to India by traders from Dubai and Bahrain. Basra, in Iraq, was the biggest commercial city in the region, hence the name Basra pearls.

That these links have naturally transformed into modern, robust wide-ranging economic ties is natural.

UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum was in New Delhi in March, particularly to reinforce bilateral economic ties. His visit has been followed by trade delegations as well as that of UAE’s Interior Ministry Under Secretary (Home Secretary), Maj Gen Saif al Shaafar, recently towards an agreement on fighting crime and terrorism jointly.

The high-level delegation accompanying the UAE Prime Minister considered bilateral relations in all aspects, but their focus indeed was economic. Shaikha Lubna al Qasimi, UAE Economy Minister, explained the opportunities that her country offered to Indian investors. Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who is also the Ruler of Dubai, himself spearheaded massive investment through one of the state-run companies in infrastructure projects in India, indicated at around US $ 20 billion (Rs 85,000 crores). Both Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Shaikh Abdullah were accorded very warm welcome.

Besides emphasizing the diplomatic issues in the region, Shaikh Abdullah also said that there was a "need for enhancing investment cooperation, particularly on investment from UAE in the infrastructure sector."

This writer was a member of Mrs. Indira Gandhi's delegation to Abu Dhabi, and also had the privilege of being posted there as a Foreign Correspondent for nearly 13 years. Often in the diplomatic circles, it was mentioned how Shaikh Zayed and Mrs. India Gandhi regarded each other with great respect.

Mrs. Gandhi used to praise Shaikh Zayed for his modern, moderate and pragmatic policies while the UAE President used to admire the Indian Prime Minister for her strength in foreign relations and support for the Arab countries.

At the Joint Commission talks, Shaikh Abdullah said: "The Middle East peace process is faltering - if it has not already stalled. There are major concerns about long term peace and security in Iraq, about Iran's nuclear programme and, more generally, about stability and security in the Arabian Gulf. We also share with you concerns about the situation in Afghanistan.

"It is in both of our interests to work together more and more closely, on the bilateral issues that form the basis for our existing relationships, and on the regional issues on which we share so much in terms of common views and objectives."

The Joint Commission meeting, the 9th in the series, is significant as it was held after a gap of 13 years, after 1994. The interaction though has remained steady between the two countries at various levels and even Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam has visited the UAE.

According to Shaikh Abdullah, the two sides have "much to discuss during our meetings, over a wide range of political, economic, cultural and other topics. And that is only right and proper, for relations between the UAE and India are not only widely diversified, but are deep-rooted and solidly-based."

Praising the contribution of expatriate Indians in the UAE, he said: "There have been commercial and cultural links between us for 11 thousands of years, going back to the dawn of our recorded histories. And these have developed and deepened over the last 30 or 40 years as the UAE has embarked on its process of rapid growth, a process in which I am pleased to note that India - and expatriate Indians - have played a significant part."

The UAE Foreign Minister expressed the hope that "this Joint Commission meeting will lay down some clear guidelines for the future development of our already-excellent ties, permitting both of our Governments to work together in pursuit of the interests of our peoples."

Shaikh Abdullah and Mr. Pranab Mukherjee discussed the regional situation and some other issues on the sidelines of the Joint Commission, and signed the minutes at its formal conclusion.

Senior officials from both the countries took part in the meeting, including the UAE Ambassador in New Delhi, Mr. Abdulla Ibrahim al Zoy al Shehhi, and Indian Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, Mr. C M Bhandari.

It may be noted that the number of Indians in the UAE increased from about one million in 1994 to some 1.4 million while the bilateral non-oil trade has grown four times to US$ 13 billion in 2007 during the same period.

India buys oil and gas worth more than $ 4 billion, and the UAE has been a steady supplier throughout, even when the supplies were disrupted due to the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran or the outbreak of the 1980 Iran-Iraq war.

Non Resident Indians (NRIs) are believed to remitting $ 25 billion a year now to India from all over the world. Of these, an estimated $ 4 billion are sent by the NRIs from the UAE, a large number of whom are from the southern state of Kerala.