India, UAE sign 14 agreements

India and UAE on Wednesday decided to expand defence ties between them to include maritime security and cooperation even as both vowed to boost bilateral trade ties.

"Security and defence cooperation have added growing new dimensions to our relationship. We have agreed to expand our useful cooperation in the field of defence to new areas including in the maritime domain," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after his meeting with the Crown Prince, who is visiting India as the Chief Guest of Republic Day celebrations.

Both sides also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence that aims to establish cooperation in the identified fields of defence manufacturing and technology, including through studies, research, development, innovation and cooperation between public and private sector institutions of the two countries.

Both sides also decided to cooperate in areas of armaments, defence industries and transfer of technology.

India and UAE have also signed an MoU to enhance bilateral maritime trade ties through facilitating maritime transport, free transfer of monies between contracting parties and reciprocal recognition of ships' documents.

14 agreements signed

A total of 14 MoUs were signed between India and UAE.

"We are also encouraging and facilitating business and industry of both countries to increase the quality and quantum bilateral trade. The agreement on trade remedies signed today would strengthen our trade partnership further. Our energy partnership, is an important bridge in our linkages," Modi said.

Modi said economic partnership between both sides can be a source of regional as well as global prosperity.

"We exchanged views on developments in West Asia and the Gulf, where both countries have a shared interest in peace and stability. We also discussed developments in our region, including Afghanistan. Our shared concern on growing threat from radicalism and terrorism to the safety and security of our people is shaping our cooperation in this space," he said.

Modi was the first Indian Prime Minister to visit UAE in 34 years. He went there in 2015 when he announced the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

During his visit to India last year in February, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi had categorically talked about enhanced military cooperation.

UAE is also exploring opportunities to cooperate on the production of defence equipment in India.