Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The bilateral partnership between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is likely to deepen, reflecting strong alignment and shared understanding amid the West Asia crisis.
This growing trust is also evident in the recent official remarks of Emirati leadership, a report in the think tank ‘Politeia Research Foundation’ said.
The UAE Ambassador to India, Abdulnasser Alshaali, noted that Indians in the UAE are “considered family by the leadership of this country”, adding that “your family in the UAE is not alone”, highlighting the strong societal and strategic bonds between the two countries.
According to a report, this characterisation goes beyond conventional diplomacy and reflects a partnership based on mutual trust, interdependence, and long-term stability. “Amid a fragile ceasefire, all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have suffered Iranian missile and drone attacks, but the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suffered the most.
It has borne the brunt and suffered significant damage. Yet when peace talks were held in Islamabad, its interests were not adequately taken into account—as if it did not exist or matter in the broader diplomatic calculus,” the report detailed.
The report stated that during the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran — when the UAE came under attack from Iranian missiles and drones – Pakistan appeared to express greater sympathy towards Iran. Through its statements and actions during the conflict, Islamabad was seen as indirectly endorsing Iran’s position rather than recognising the UAE’s security concerns.
“This created frustration in the Emirates. In response, it reportedly asked Pakistan to repay around $3.5 billion that it had previously lent. This frustration was also evident in the reactions of UAE-based experts and commentators on social media, many of whom openly criticised Pakistan’s stance,” it mentioned.
