India–UAE Boost Defence Synergy at 13th JDCC: Maritime Security, AI, and Joint Training in Focus -

New Delhi, July 30–31, 2025 – In a landmark development for Indo‑UAE strategic ties, the 13th India–UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) convened in New Delhi at the Secretary‑level for the first time, marking a significant upgrade in defence diplomacy between the two nations. Co‑chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and the UAE’s Under Secretary of Defence Lt General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi, the two‑day engagement underscored both sides’ intention to elevate military collaboration in line with the broader momentum in trade, investment, and people‑to‑people ties.

1. Broadening Scope: From Diplomacy to Defence Industrial Integration

At the heart of the JDCC dialogue was a suite of defence‑industrial and technology initiatives:

Customized Military Training: India pledged to develop bespoke training programmes tailored specifically to the operational needs of the UAE Armed Forces. This reflects India’s evolving role as a regional defence training hub and strategic knowledge partner.
Maritime Security Collaboration: With both nations sharing a strategic interest in the Indian Ocean Region, the JDCC agreed to set up mechanisms for real‑time information sharing, coordinated search and rescue operations, measures to tackle maritime pollution, and anti‑piracy coordination.
Defence Industrial Partnerships: Building on the ICOMM–CARACAL collaboration in small arms production, both sides explored joint manufacturing projects and technology transfer, spanning shipbuilding, platform refits/upgrades, and maintenance ecosystems. They also discussed leveraging AI, drones, and cyber technologies as areas for co-development.

A notable outcome was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Coast Guard and the UAE National Guard, formalizing maritime security cooperation across anti-piracy operations, pollution response, search and rescue, and maritime domain awareness.

2. Service-to-Service Engagements: A Tactical Foundation

In a prelude to the JDCC summit, a set of staff‑level dialogues was held from July 28–29, 2025:

The 4th Army‑to‑Army Talks
The 9th Navy‑to‑Navy Talks
An inaugural Air‑to‑Air Staff Dialogue

These sessions focused on enhancing interoperability, expanding joint military exercises, and advancing subject matter expert exchanges covering logistics, strategic planning, and doctrinal alignment.

3. Strategic and Economic Relevance

Since the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2015, India–UAE relations have steadily deepened across economic, cultural, and defence fronts. The 13th JDCC represents a milestone shift, consolidating defence ties to match growth in bilateral commerce and human capital exchange.

The merger of defence collaboration with economic agenda reflects a larger strategy: forging a security–trade nexus to anchor India as a trusted partner in the Gulf region. India’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat reform agendas further support the integration of MSMEs and startups into emerging Indo‑UAE defence supply chains.

4. Emerging Pillars of Cooperation

Four major thematic pillars emerged from the JDCC deliberations:

Pillar	Description
Military Training	Custom‑designed courses for UAE forces by Indian institutions
Maritime Security	Coordinated maritime awareness, anti‑piracy, pollution mitigation, and SAR operations
Industrial Partnerships	Joint ventures like ICOMM–CARACAL, expanded into shipbuilding, drones, AI
Service Integration	Army–Army, Navy–Navy, Air‑to‑Air staff exchanges to align operational methodologies

These pillars lay a structured, institutional foundation for deeper defence integration.

5. Benefits & Strategic Implications

For India: Enhances its footprint as a regional security provider, boosts its defence export ambitions, fosters MSME engagement, and integrates its tech ecosystem into global projects.
For the UAE: Leverages Indian military training infrastructure, secures maritime cooperation, and gains access to technology-driven manufacturing partnerships.
Regionally: Strengthens maritime domain awareness across sea lanes critical for Gulf‑India trade, supports counter‑terrorism collaborations, and positions both nations as cooperative security anchors in the Indian Ocean Region.

Conclusion: A Strategic Leap Towards Defence Synergy

The 13th India–UAE JDCC meeting represents a transformative stride in bilateral defence relations, shifting from conventional engagement to structured, forward‑looking cooperation across training, security operations, defence industry, and technological innovation.

By intertwining diplomatic momentum with defence‑industrial convergence, India and the UAE are crafting a model of bilateral collaboration that addresses contemporary security challenges while supporting shared economic and strategic goals.

As India prepares its participation in the Dubai Air Show 2025 and both countries move forward with the 2nd India–UAE Defence Industry Partnership Forum, this enhanced defence partnership is poised not just to deepen, but to set new benchmarks for regional security cooperation.

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