France India UAE Trilateral Relations
France, India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have developed a trilateral partnership in recent years, as the countries seek to further strengthen their economic, political and cultural ties. The three nations have made a series of high-level visits and signed several agreements, and bilateral cooperation has been increasing. India is particularly keen to increase its engagement with the UAE, as it seeks to increase its presence in the Middle East region. The India-UAE partnership dates back to the late 19th century, when the UAE was part of the British Empire. Since then, the two nations have forged strong political, economic and cultural ties. India is the UAE’s second largest trading partner and the UAE is India’s third largest trading partner. The two countries are also strategic partners and regularly hold high-level meetings and exchange visits. The India-UAE-France trilateral partnership was first established in 2018, when the three countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the Field of Culture, Education, Tourism and Investment. This was the first step towards the development of a trilateral partnership between the three countries. The MoU was followed by the signing of a joint declaration on the India-UAE-France Strategic Partnership in 2019. This declaration outlined the areas of cooperation between the three countries, including economic and trade relations, security and defence, and education and research.
India’s Minilateral Engagements Ticks Up
India has been engaging in minilateral engagements with countries in its immediate neighbourhood, as well as other countries in the region and beyond. These engagements have been aimed at deepening the economic, political and cultural ties between India and its partners. India’s minilateral engagements with France, UAE and other countries have been growing in recent years, and have included high-level visits and the signing of several agreements. India and UAE have held several high-level meetings since 2018, and signed several agreements, including the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement. This agreement was aimed at deepening the economic and trade relations between the two countries, and included a number of initiatives such as the establishment of a joint investment fund and the setting up of a UAE-India technology fund. India and France have also been engaging in minilateral engagements in recent years. In 2018, India and France signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement, which included a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening the economic, political and cultural ties between the two countries. This included the establishment of a joint economic forum, which will focus on investment, technology transfer and trade.
Conclusion
The India-UAE-France trilateral partnership is an important development in the region. The partnership has seen a significant increase in bilateral cooperation between the three countries, with a number of high-level visits and agreements signed. India is increasing its minilateral engagements with France, UAE and other countries in the region and beyond, and this is likely to continue in the coming years. This will help to strengthen the economic, political and cultural ties between the countries, and open up new opportunities for the three countries.
