Two nations, one future: Aroon Purie at India Today's Indo-UAE Conclave
India and the UAE share a relationship that is time-tested, multi-dimensional, and future-ready, India Today Group's Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie said while addressing India Today's Indo-UAE Conclave in Dubai on Thursday. He added India and the UAE share a partnership that is not only growing, but it is evolving."The India-UAE relationship is beyond economics, it is a time-tested cultural bridge, he said, adding that the relationship is "deeply cultural, emotional, and human." He noted that over 3.5 million Indians call the UAE their home, and they are stakeholders in the UAE's growth.advertisement"The India-UAE partnership offers a rare constant: a relationship based on trust, pragmatism, and mutual benefit," Aroon Purie said at the landmark gathering of policymakers, business leaders, and innovators shaping the future of India-UAE collaboration.Here's his full speech:Ladies and gentlemen, Distinguished guests, Friends from India and the UAE,Good morning, and a very warm welcome to the inaugural India Today India-UAE Conclave in the magnificent city of Dubai.I first came to Dubai in 1970, which is 55 years ago. I was invited to set up a printing press for the government here. As you can imagine, there was very little here at that time. Even some of the government offices were in cabins, the kind used at construction sites.Now, when I see the UAE, I regard it as one of the miracles of the world. The transformation of a desert into one of the world's most advanced cosmopolitan cities. Dubai and Abu Dhabi in particular.advertisementIt is symbol of what ambition, vision, leadership and technology can do.I congratulate the rulers of UAE past and present for giving this miracle to the world. For over two decades, the India Today Conclaves have hosted thought leaders, change makers, and global voices to reflect on the India story. Today, that story is expanding its canvas from South Asia to West Asia. From the local to the truly global. We have gathered here to celebrate what we call 'India and the UAE — two nations, one future'. And what better city than Dubai, this bold, visionary metropolis that reflects the very spirit of transformation, connectivity and ambition that we aim to spotlight in the India-UAE relationship. Much like India, this country is diverse, dynamic, and determined to define the future on its own terms. I firmly believe that the India-UAE story is one of the most underappreciated diplomatic achievements of the 21st century.We are here not just as observers of a bilateral relationship. We are here as participants in a growing partnership. One that has moved far beyond trade into shared aspirations, cultural embrace, and geopolitical convergence.India and the UAE share a relationship that is time-tested, multi-dimensional, and future-ready.advertisementFrom flourishing trade to growing cultural bonds. From political alignment to strategic convergence, this is a partnership that is not only growing, but it is evolving.India and the UAE have long enjoyed strong trade relations. The UAE is India's third-largest trading partner, and India is the UAE's second-largest export destination. Bilateral trade has already crossed $83 billion, and is expected to surge past $100 billion within this decade.But numbers only tell part of the story. We are moving beyond transactional ties into an era of transformational synergy. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has redefined the scale and speed of bilateral trade. Since tariffs are the hot topic of the day, here is an example of how to do it.Both countries have eliminated duties; the UAE has cleaned up 97.4% of its tariff lines, corresponding to 99% of imports from India. India reciprocated by eliminating duties on over 80% of its tariff lines, covering 90% of its exports in value terms. The trust is deepening and strengthening the friendship between the two countries. Cross-border investments are flowing across a diverse set of sectors—from clean energy to fintech, logistics to AI, space technology to food security. advertisementIn the last 25 years, India has received cumulative FDI worth more than $22 billion from the UAE, making it the 7th largest investor in India. Like a true friend, Indians are also betting on the story of the transformation of the UAE.We live in an era where globalisation is being redefined, multilateralism is on the retreat and regionalism is on the rise.Great power rivalries have re-emerged in Eastern Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and West Asia.Amid this flux, the India-UAE partnership offers a rare constant: a relationship based on trust, pragmatism, and mutual benefit.At the G20 Summit, hosted by India, the UAE was a prominent voice in forging a new economic corridor - the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) connecting India to Europe via the Middle East a project that is not just about infrastructure, but about re-imagining supply chains, data flows, and energy routes in the 21st century. In climate diplomacy, both countries are collaborating to shape the green agenda with India's renewables push and the UAE's hosting of COP28 forming a timely convergence. The subsea cable will be an epitome of the energy friendship.India-UAE partnership is not stuck in the past it is leaping into the future. We are seeing innovation in fintech, digital payments, and emerging tech and education. advertisementThe India-UAE relationship is beyond economics, it is a time-tested cultural bridge. It is deeply cultural, emotional, and human. Over 3.5 million Indians call the UAE their home. They are not migrants. They are stakeholders in UAE's growth.Bollywood thrives here. Cricket unites us, and Indian cuisine spices up the Emirati palette.The UAE is home to the only Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, and India is home to one of the oldest mosques in Kerala. This is civilisational coexistence in action.India Today is proud to host this Conclave here in Dubai. We believe that meaningful partnerships thrive on dialogue, transparency, and mutual understanding. In a world of polarised narratives and fractured facts, the role of credible journalism and forums like this becomes even more vital.This Conclave is our modest attempt to bring that story into the spotlight. Not just to celebrate it, but to build upon it. It is the beginning of a deeper conversation about what two ambitious nations can achieve when they trust, trade, and think together.Thank you for being part of this journey.advertisementLet the dialogue begin.Jai Hind. Shukran. Dhanyavaad.
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