Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar Visits UAE to Review Strategic Partnership

United Arab Emirates, October 14 (Daily Kiran) : Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar is on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates from October 14 to 16. The Ministry of External Affairs announced the trip on Wednesday evening.

During his visit, Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks with his UAE counterpart to review the progress of the India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership. He is also scheduled to participate in the second edition of the Raisina Middle East conference in Abu Dhabi.

This trip comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region, particularly due to ongoing conflicts in Iran and escalating clashes between Saudi Arabia and Houthi forces in Yemen.

On Sunday, the Indian consulate in Dubai reported the rescue of 22 Indian crew members from the oil tanker MT Gem Number 2, which had an incident off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah. The consulate confirmed that all crew members are safe and are receiving support from UAE authorities.

Additionally, Smrit Machhar, a courageous Indian pilot with Flydubai, is recovering in a hospital in Abu Dhabi after successfully battling an attacker on board, ensuring the safety of 174 passengers.

Last week, the UAE regained its position as India’s primary LPG supplier, overtaking the United States due to disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid regional conflicts.

Data from maritime intelligence firm Kepler indicates that the UAE supplied 39% of India’s LPG imports in September, a significant increase from just 13% in August. The UAE delivered 547,000 tons of LPG, while U.S. shipments fell by 58% during the same period.

India relies on imports for 60% of its LPG needs, with 90% previously sourced from Gulf countries via the Strait of Hormuz.