00:00And now to discuss this issue and understand the importance of its timing and significance
00:07of delivery of, you know, this important visit, I am now being joined by Ambassador Anil
00:12Tigranayat, a seasoned diplomat who has served in this region.
00:16Welcome to India Today Global, sir.
00:17My first question to you, my first question to you, sir, that, you know, this visit was
00:24very power packed, a very short visit, rarely this, you know, these kind of visits rarely
00:29happens that, you know, in such a short period of time, such significant deliveries are announced.
00:35But what do you think, you know, what made, you know, this, the timing of this visit so
00:39significant, so important?
00:41Is it a signaling?
00:42Is it a messaging, you know, being given to the to the larger audience and the geopolitics
00:47of this region?
00:48Yes, Pranay, I mean, as you are aware that in West Asia is an extremely important region
00:55for us.
00:57It is also, in my view, an existential for us, so that its strategic stability and security
01:04remains paramount in all our calculations.
01:07That's extremely important.
01:09In recent times, we have seen that not only that region is suffering from several hotspots
01:16and volatility and fights and conflicts between various countries trying to destabilize the
01:22region. But at the same time, they are also threatening India's own security in that sense.
01:28And therefore, our own strategic pursuit of our objectives and strategic partnerships with
01:35countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia and several other countries in the region has gone on from
01:41strength to strength. As far as UAE is concerned, it is a unique partnership.
01:46And you remember that when Prime Minister Modi took over, UAE was the first country.
01:51He has been there seven times himself, and this is the fifth visit of Sheikh Zayed to India,
01:57which is rare in any sense of the term. Wherever you look at it, you will not find this kind
02:03of banhomi, this kind of sort of coordination with both the countries and also in the regional and
02:11sub-regional context. Now, this visit was short, but highly substantive and significant. Now, in order to do
02:18such visits, it is also important that the prior consultations happen. If you remember, Dr. Jashankar
02:25was in Abu Dhabi for a strategic dialogue, which was held. And then before that, we had the Joint
02:31Commission meeting, as well as the High Council meeting, which had already worked out on several
02:37important outcomes. At the same time, currently, as we are seeing, there is a very different kind of
02:43situation happening in the Middle East, especially in the GCC countries. And that we are looking at
02:49new kind of defense and strategic equations are emerging in the region.
02:54I actually wanted to ask you about the defense agreement only, Ambassador Trikundaya, that we have
02:57seen a letter of intent for strategic defense partnership among, you know, other big defense
03:01moves. Does this trip point to some immediate regional security pressure? And why UAE has decided to
03:08enter into this defense, you know, defense partnership with India? How we should read this?
03:13As you know that we do have a defense agreement and our chiefs have been visiting. We have been
03:19conducting military exercises with UAE and with other countries in the region, but mainly with the
03:24United Arab Emirates. And this was the first country where the chief of army staff also visited.
03:30And we have been having regular exchanges with UAE in that sense. But right now, what we are trying to
03:36do is we are expanding the defense partnership into innovation, into joint manufacturing, into
03:41different areas. And of course, this is to do something to do with the regional developments
03:46that have taken place. There are certain polarizations that are taking place. And I would also say that
03:51since we are looking at Pakistan getting deeply immersed into the becoming sort of a net security
03:59provider. So India has been always looked up by various countries in the region. And I can tell
04:04you from personal experience that they want India to play a greater role. And in fact, many of the
04:10people want India to be a security arbiter in the region as well. Although we have not resorted to
04:15that, but that is one thing. On this particular thing, I would say between UAE and India, and during this
04:22visit, it's pretty clear that the key area... You're absolutely right, Ambassador Degrahan. A lot is happening in
04:27West Asia region. But if I may, you know, try and understand from you that, you know, recently President Donald Trump has
04:33extended an invitation to Prime Minister Naren Modi to be part of the Board of Peace on Gaza Reconstruction.
04:38How do you see this development for India? And do you think that, you know, today's summit also
04:44indicates for India's West Asia diplomacy amid these fast-moving U.S.-led initiatives?
04:51Well, the U.S. initiative is very much understandable. President Trump has been committed to
04:57Gaza peace. He has been trying very hard, actually, despite several odds, including from their own
05:04strategic partner in Israel, which is opposing it. Actually, even the Board of Peace, they are not on the
05:10same, I would say, same cardboard to begin with on their chessboards. So they don't like Pakistan being
05:17there. They don't like the Turkey being there or their forces being there. That's the Israeli
05:24question. But as far as India is concerned, nobody has any objection to anyone. But India has been
05:31invited. But I doubt very much that we'll be accepting it. But India should be providing assistance,
05:37which we have been doing, humanitarian assistance for Gazans who have suffered a great deal. But India
05:43is acceptable everywhere. And that is the beauty of India's diplomacy, I would say. And India's
05:49West Asia diplomacy has been a great success. And the result of that is clearly evident in any of
05:56the areas you see, whether from Saudi Arabia down to the UAE, to Israel or to Egypt, any country you
06:04look at, India's relationship has become strategic in the real sense of the term and the region.
06:11And so I think the diplomacy of India has actually, you know, gave these dividends. And in fact,
06:19thanks to all of our diplomats like you who have served for the country and provided the building
06:24block for this partnership. Thank you very much for sharing your perspective and thoughts on this
06:28important visit.
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