Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, United Arab Emirates, has said that the Republic of India is a key partner for the UAE, even as the two countries have a strong bond enhanced by shared values and mutual interests.

The UAE and India have always been keen on mutually supporting each other, especially in fields such as energy, infrastructure, transportation, and logistics, he said.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the occasion of the visit of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India to the UAE, Suhail Al Mazrouei said that the visit was significant for both the countries as it enhanced harmony, supported the shared vision, and helped achieve sustainable development in various sectors.

The minister also emphasised that the visit contributed to strengthening the UAE-India relations and thereby taking it to new horizons.

Suhail Al Mazrouei affirmed that Modi’s visit was an extension of prior high-level meetings between dignitaries of both the countries. Last month, the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited India when he discussed the strategic relations of the two nations and ways to broaden them.

He explained that India was an important country for the UAE, the reason why developing ties with it was crucial. “As the UAE’s largest partner, India is also the largest investor of oil and gas; the UAE is the fifth-largest supplier of crude oil to India, accounting for 8%,” he said.

Appreciating the efforts taken by both the countries to enhance progress in the field of renewable energy, Suhail Al Mazrouei said that the UAE and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in May 2022 to explore ways to combat climate change. A partnership between the public and private sectors was expected to develop the deployment of renewable energy solutions, green hydrogen, and carbon markets. That in turn, he hoped, would raise the level of efficiency in the agricultural sector and sustainable financing.