By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd) Former Director General of Information Systems, Indian Army

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the one to one meeting, in Abu Dhabi, UAE on August 17, 2015

Prime Shri Narendra Modi meeting the Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE, HH Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, at Za'abeel Palace, Dubai on August 17, 2015

As far back as October 2011, HSBC had predicted that India would leap over China as UAE's top trading partner by 2025 with bilateral trade touching US$ 103.6 billion. Yet no Prime Minister from India had bothered to visit UAE in past 34 years. Interestingly, Yusuf Ali, Kerala born owner of LuLu Group of Abu Dhabi already has a LuLu mall and two Marriott hotels in Cochin and is building a Tech Park and Grand Hyatt Hotel there. Yusuf recently announced US$ 435 million investment in Telengana. PM Modi's visit to UAE adds to developing Indian focus globally, this visit in context to West Asia, in contrast to earlier emphasis primarily towards the east. It is significant to note that in respect of West Asia, the Modi government is enhancing ties on an even playing field simultaneously with Israel, Iran and the GCC states.

Modi's visit to UAE was preceded by significant visits to other GCC states by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The joint India-UAE statement issued in Dubai had the following focus: elevate bilateral relationship to strategic partnership - establishing Strategic Security Dialogue between the two governments; cooperation in countering radicalization, misuse of religion and justifying terrorism — denounce terrorism in all forms and cooperate in CT operations, intelligence sharing and capacity building; cooperation in India's proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN; cooperation in controlling, regulating and acting against terror funding; cooperation against money laundering, drug trafficking, other trans-national crimes and extradition arrangements; cooperation in cyber security; institutionalized dialogue between NSAs and National Security Councils; maritime security cooperation; cooperation in disaster relief and conflict situations; strengthen defence cooperation including combined training and Make in India in defence; cooperation in promoting peace and peaceful resolution of conflicts; enhance trade and investment - UAE-India Infrastructure Investment Fund targeting US$ 75 billion for infrastructure development in India, Indian companies participation in infrastructure development in UAE, cooperation in energy sector, increase trade by 60% in next five years; cooperation in education, science, space, sustainable development, agriculture and healthcare. PM Modi thanked UAE for its support for India's candidature for permanent membership of a reformed UNSC.

UAE is participating in the International Fleet Review being held in India next February. UAE is setting up the West Asia's first Space Research Centre at AI Ain and plans to launch a Mars Mission in 2021, which should see active ISRO participation with the Dubai declaration that includes cooperation in space and with ISRO now launching satellites even for the US. Modi's visit to the UAE undoubtedly is a new chapter in India's foreign outlook and is rightly being termed as India's 'Look West' policy. There is no denying that Modi's visit to UAE and the joint statement highlighted not only the shared past but also the need to cooperate in countering shared challenges for a common future, the approach including simultaneous measures at government to government, business to business and people to people levels spanning the complete gamut of what can lead to a developed and peaceful future. To this end Modi's visit to UAE was highly successful and transformational as one may say. At the same time, it would be prudent to not ignore some ground realities especially with reference to our media going hyper about Modi's indirect "warning" to Pakistan about sponsoring terrorism. No doubt the Arab world is stricken with terrorism and has been under debate for quite some time.

In recent years, debates between Muslim clerics and scholars about interpretation of Islamic teachings within the Muslim world, radicalization and terrorism have taken place at the International Counter Terrorism Conference held at Baghdad, Iraq in March 2014 and annual Herat Security Dialogues held at Herat, Afghanistan. Yet the overall instability, death and destruction have only increased. A major factor has been powers big and small indulging in use of proxy forces with impunity in own national interests, be it even USA or China. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been known to be funding terror and there are also reports of funds ex UAE coming to radical organizations and dubious NGOs in India, so agreements and statements though important need to be taken with a pinch of salt as far as terrorism goes. No secret that Pakistan will not stop her proxy war against India with continued support from the US and China despite these two countries showing support for India's proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN. As for India's inclusion in a reformed UNSC, this is unlikely till the P-5 agree, of which there appears no possibility presently. This notwithstanding, prospects of India-UAE strategic partnership are indeed bright.