New Delhi, December 2. India has greeted the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the occasion of its National Day on December 2.
“Warmest greetings to DPM & FM @ABZayed, the Government and people of the UAE on their National Day,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on his X handle. “We remain committed to strengthening our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and further deepening our commercial, cultural and people-to-people ties.”
Eid Al Etihad, also known as UAE National Day, is celebrated annually on December 2 to mark the unification of the United Arab Emirates. The seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, was added to the federation on February 10, 1972, making it the last emirate to join.
Before the formation of the UAE, the emirates were part of the Trucial States, a British protectorate established through truce treaties in 1820, 1853 and 1896. In 1968, the British government under then Prime Minister Harold Wilson declared its intention to withdraw its forces east of the Suez, which included its forces in the Trucial States.
The British, and Americans encouraged some type of union between the emirates, which were seen as weak and surrounded by regional powers in Iran and Saudi Arabia, both of whom had territorial disputes with some of the emirates. The proposed union was at one point set to include Qatar and Bahrain, but those efforts were abandoned with Bahrain declaring independence in August 1971, and Qatar in September 1971.
Days prior to the expiration of British treaties on December 1, the Iranian army supported by the Iranian naval forces occupied the islands of Abu Musa and the Lesser and Greater Tunbs. The UAE declared independence the day after the expiry of the treaties on December 2, albeit without the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, which had sided with Saudi Arabia in some of its disputes with the other emirates, and had grievances with the union for establishing relations with Iran despite its occupation of Abu Musa and the Lesser and Greater Tunbs. However, Ras Al Khaimah later joined the union on February 10, 1972.
Diplomatic relations between India and the UAE were established in 1972. Over the decades, what began largely as trade (dates, pearls, fish, etc.) has transformed into a broad strategic partnership encompassing trade, investment, energy, technology, defence, and people-to-people ties.
The launching of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May 2022 marked a watershed moment – accelerating economic integration and making the UAE one of India’s most important global partners.
As of FY 2024-25, bilateral trade reportedly crossed $100 billion, underlining the surge post-CEPA. The UAE is now India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination.
India’s exports to UAE include engineering goods, gems and jewellery, petroleum products, electronics, among others. Imports from UAE to India include petroleum products, precious/semi-precious stones, aircraft and parts, plastics etc.
People-to-people ties form a strong pillar of the India-UAE relationship. The UAE is home to over four million Indian diaspora.
