UAE Navy SME Delegation On Four-Day Visit To India From 27 August

A three-member Subject Matter Expert Delegation (SME) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy is on a four-day visit to India from 27 August.

The delegations will visit the specialised Meteorological, Oceanographic and Weather Modeling Units of the Indian Navy (IN) at Kochi, Goa and New Delhi.

• The visit marks the beginning of a new chapter in professional cooperation between the two navies.
• The objective of the visit is to exchange professional knowledge, expertise, training and cooperation in the fields of meteorology, oceanography and weather/ocean modelling.
• The Indian Navy has over the years acquired knowledge, expertise and skills in the field of Meteorology and Oceanography. To ensure maritime security in the region, the Indian Navy through its dedicated units is providing training as well as daily weather forecasting services to several countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• A UAE naval delegation visited Kochi on 28 Aug 2023, where they met senior officers of the Indian Navy.
• Professional interactions between the two sides were held at the Naval Operations Data Processing and Analysis Center (NODPAC), a dedicated unit for aspects of oceanography, ocean forecasting and ocean modelling.
• He also visited the Indian Naval Meteorological Analysis Center (INMAC) which works in the area of weather forecasting and atmospheric modelling.
• The UAE Navy delegation also visited the School of Naval Oceanography and Meteorology (SNOM), which caters to the Indian Navy's meteorological, oceanographic and numerical weather prediction (NWP) training requirements.
• The UAE delegation will also visit the Air Squadron and Meteorological Office at INS Hansa, Goa, which is the premier air station of the Indian Navy. This will be followed by a meeting with the Commodore (Naval Oceanography and Meteorology) at IHQ MoD (Navy).
• The aim of this collaboration is to promote mutual understanding and strengthen the collective capacity to address complex issues related to meteorology and oceanography. Both the navies will share their expertise and insights to explore areas of mutual cooperation in the times to come.
• The expertise, enthusiasm and commitment of the UAE Navy and the Indian Navy will undoubtedly enrich the operational and scientific capabilities of both navies.

India-UAE Relations:

• Both countries established diplomatic relations in the year 1972.
• The Indian Prime Minister's visit to the United Arab Emirates in August 2015 further boosted bilateral relations between the two countries marking the beginning of a new strategic partnership between the two.
• Simultaneously, during the visit of the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates to India in January 2017 as the chief guest of India's Republic Day celebrations, it was agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• This sentiment gave impetus to the commencement of negotiations for an India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

United Arab Emirates (UAE):

• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Currency: Dirham
• President: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Prime Minister: Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid Al Maktoum