In a significant stride towards strengthening maritime cooperation between India and the United Arab Emirates, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the United Arab Emirates National Guard Command (UAE NGC) have entered into a collaborative framework.
The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Maritime Security and Safety Cooperation, according to an official release issued here on Wednesday.
This milestone reflects a growing convergence in maritime interests and marks a major step forward in ICG’s maritime diplomacy and operational outreach, it said.
According to the document, the MoU was signed during the 13th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting between India and the UAE in New Delhi on Wednesday. The signatories were Director General Paramesh Sivamani, AVSM, PTM, TM, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, and Brigadier Staff Khalid Obaid Thani Al Shamsi, Commander of the Coast Guard Group, UAE. The signing took place in the presence of Lt Gen Ibrahim Nasser Al Alawi, Under Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, UAE (Head of delegation), and Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary.
It is significant to note that the MoU, the 10th such agreement with Coast Guard agencies of Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs), has been prepared to enhance the professional linkage between the two Coast Guards across core functions, including Maritime Search and Rescue (M-SAR), combating transnational maritime crimes, Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), Marine Pollution Response (MPR), and Joint capacity building, it added.
These efforts are reflective of the shared commitment of both nations to strengthen institutional linkages and promote collaborative engagements for maritime safety and security.
Anchored in the Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the implementation of this MoU is expected to significantly enhance bilateral maritime cooperation and contribute to a safe, secure, and sustainable maritime environment in the region, the document added.
“This landmark agreement reaffirms India’s commitment to fostering regional maritime cooperation and positions the Indian Coast Guard as a trusted and capable partner in advancing collective maritime security across the Indian Ocean Region,” it added.