The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India have built a strong and multifaceted bilateral relationship, extending far beyond trade into areas critical for regional stability and technological advancement. As India marks the 92nd anniversary of its Air Force, the shared vision between our nations becomes even more significant.
India is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner, and the two countries aim to double their non-oil bi-lateral trade to USD100 billion by 2030, but the collaboration is not limited to economics. The UAE and India’s defence relationship is taking centre stage as both nations aim to advance their sovereign defence industries through joint ventures and localisation efforts. With interoperability as a focal point of three key military exercises in 2024 alone, we see a shift towards deeper cooperation in co-developing critical defence technologies. By integrating cutting-edge solutions, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and expanding production capabilities, our two nations are setting a precedent for how collaborative defence initiatives can both secure our interests and push the boundaries of technological progress. At EDGE, we are fully committed to these joint goals, which is reflected in our growing partnerships and shared technological breakthroughs with India’s leading defence players.
Our focus at EDGE Group is on disrupting the global defence industry with an advanced, multi-domain portfolio of solutions for export. We back up this focus with aggressive product development, calculated investments, and strategic partnerships. Currently, we are focused on the development of critical technologies in the autonomous systems, smart weapons, and electronic warfare domains. In line with the strategic objectives of India’s growing defence industry, we identified opportunities for joint production, technology transfer, and cooperation in product development. The net result of our efforts is that in under two years, we have established significant partnerships with major India-based defence companies to localise firearms manufacturing, integrate smart weapons, and jointly develop critical defence technologies.
The UAE and India’s defence relationship is taking centre stage as both nations aim to advance their sovereign defence industries through joint ventures and localisation efforts. With interoperability as a focal point of three key military exercises in 2024 alone, we see a shift towards deeper cooperation in co-developing critical defence technologies
CARACAL, our leading small arms manufacturer, has made notable strides in fulfilling India’s local defence manufacturing requirements, while facilitating knowledge-sharing opportunities. In the beginning of last year, CARACAL signed a partnership licensing agreement with ICOMM, India’s market leader in the development and manufacturing of missiles and sub-systems, communications and EW systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, electro-optics, and other technology. Under the agreement, ICOMM and CARACAL are working together to develop a full portfolio of locally manufactured small arms for the Indian market. The partnership also marks the first-ever Transfer of Technology (ToT) in small arms from the UAE to India.
In the air domain, we are working with India’s leader in the design, development, manufacturing, supply, and maintenance of aircraft, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), to offer potential end-users of the HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) a wider range of precision smart weapons. Late last year, AL TARIQ, our leader in aerial weaponry designed for a range of in-service platforms, successfully completed the feasibility studies for the integration of their mission-proven, long-range precision-guided munitions (PGMs) on the HAL Tejas LCA. Under a separate agreement, we are working with HAL to explore areas of cooperation in the joint design and development of missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Highlighting our commitment towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, AL TARIQ then signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a leading designer, developer, and manufacturer of India-made missiles and underwater weapons, to jointly produce the AL TARIQ line of PGMs in India. Following the close cooperation between AL TARIQ and BDL, we are now working with BDL as their official representative in the UAE. This was made possible through one of our entities, GRADEONE, a defence trading specialist concentrating in manufacturing non-lethal pyrotechnics, ammunition, defence-related components, and packing solutions, being appointed as the official channel partner by BDL.
It is critical to understand, however, that our cooperation with India’s defence industry goes beyond complementing each other’s capabilities. We are establishing partnerships aimed at jointly developing critical research and development (R&D) and manufacturing facilities in the UAE and India
It is critical to understand, however, that our cooperation with India’s defence industry goes beyond complementing each other’s capabilities. We are establishing partnerships aimed at jointly developing critical research and development (R&D) and manufacturing facilities in the UAE and India. Earlier this year, we signed a landmark cooperation agreement with Adani Aerospace & Defence, one of the leading defence and aerospace companies in India. Through the agreement, we will establish a global platform leveraging the defence and aerospace capabilities of both companies, and bring together their respective product portfolios in order to cater to the requirements of global and local customers. The agreement lays the groundwork to explore the establishment of R&D facilities in India and the UAE and the setting up of production and maintenance facilities to serve the two local markets, as well as wider Southeast Asian and global markets.
More recently, we signed an MoU with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) to enhance defence industry cooperation. The MoU paves the way for collaboration in several key technologies, including the joint development of unmanned systems, co-production of next-generation platforms, and exploration of cooperation in global supply chains.
Our cooperation with India’s defence industry is that through exploring mutually beneficial partnerships, we are able to align our strategic ambitions, enhance the potential of both countries’ self-reliant defence ecosystems, and offer systems and solutions that meet customer requirements in an evolving operational environment and security landscape
The bottom line of our cooperation with India’s defence industry is that through exploring mutually beneficial partnerships, we are able to align our strategic ambitions, enhance the potential of both countries’ self-reliant defence ecosystems, and offer systems and solutions that meet customer requirements in an evolving operational environment and security landscape. As EDGE continues to engage with Indian partners through joint R&D, local manufacturing, and technology transfer, we are not only contributing to the ‘Make in India’ initiative but also ensuring that the UAE remains a key player in the global defence landscape. EDGE will continue to foster this vital relationship, driving innovation, building capacity, and reinforcing the strategic bonds between the UAE and India.
–The writer is President of the Missiles & Weapons cluster at EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups. He has considerable experience in shaping and implementing large-scale transformational programmes across major commercial organisations. In his current capacity, he provides oversight and strategic direction on the development and business functions of four companies within the cluster, which includes AL TARIQ, CARACAL, HALCON, and LAHAB. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
