Former Indian Envoy to UAE Details Deep Trust and Evolving Bilateral Ties in New Book

A former Indian envoy to the UAE has chronicled the profound connections, deep trust, and mutual respect that underpin the friendship between the two nations. Navdeep Suri, who served as India’s ambassador in Abu Dhabi for three years before retiring in 2019, has authored a new book titled Bridging The Gulf. The book, officially launching in Abu Dhabi next week, offers readers an intimate perspective on the historical evolution and transformation of the relationship.

Mr. Suri also posits that the UAE is strategically positioned to navigate the uncertainties stemming from the Iran-US conflict. He stated in an interview with The National, “The UAE has exceptional governance structures in place and can ride out a temporary slowdown. It has the resources to invest in rebuilding and attracting people.”

Drawing upon relationships and friendships cultivated over more than three decades as a diplomat, Mr. Suri, 67, engaged with prominent officials, business leaders, and researchers for the book, a project that spanned two years. The manuscript was nearing completion when the Iran war commenced on February 28, prompting him to add a new chapter. He elaborates on how the “exceptional relationship” strengthened during the conflict, ensuring no significant shortages of essential goods in either country. He highlights the swift implementation of an air corridor to transport food and medicine from India to the UAE, while fuel supplies from the UAE continued to reach India by sea.

“We were able to avert a difficult situation back in India with the proactive support we received, unlike many countries which saw huge queues for petroleum and diesel. We managed to ride it out reasonably well after the initial shock of the first three or four days,” he remarked. “From the Indian side, I was listening to stories about how an air bridge had been created, how the Lulu Group, for example, stepped in to press into service aircraft that had been lying unutilised because of airspace closures and the security situation. Decisions were fast-tracked at the highest level in both countries to enable that to happen so that UAE could see the time through without any major shortages of any products.”

He recounted ministerial visits, including that of Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, in March during a missile attack on the UAE, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Abu Dhabi prior to a ceasefire. “That’s what I mean when I say standing shoulder to shoulder,” he asserted. “These are not empty gestures – you're standing with each other in real and meaningful ways.”

Discussing the dynamic connection between the two nations, he emphasized, “The important thing we have going is excellent communication. The way we communicate with each other consistently, openly, transparently on a very broad range of issues is critical because that really helps you understand what the other side seeks, what your priorities are, what our priorities are, what our limitations might be. I used to joke with my successors that you have more visits at a high level in Abu Dhabi in a month than you would see in another diplomatic position maybe in three years. That's how intense and active the relationship is.”

The book features a rich collection of photographs from national archives, including images of three generations of UAE leaders planting a sapling at Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi. These photos depict the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, planting a sapling during his first state visit to India in 1975, President Sheikh Mohamed, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on his first state visit in 2016, and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, planting a sapling in 2024 and watering the tree his grandfather planted approximately 50 years prior.

“Some of my favourite pictures come towards the end of the book,” Mr. Suri shared. “We have this remarkable set of pictures that show three generations of Emirati leadership at that same location; it demonstrates the enduring nature of the relationship.”

Mr. Suri also advocates for increased efforts to foster connections with young Emiratis, recounting the strong bonds established by earlier generations. He shared an anecdote from a visit to the Dubai home of Dr. Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, where Dr. Gargash showed him black and white photographs of his father and grandfather in Mumbai from the early 20th century, illustrating the depth of the relationship.

“Engagement with youth is an area where we can do more,” Mr. Suri commented. “You hear the accounts of people who came here in the 1920s to 1940s, when pearls were the mainstay of the Emirati economy. These were businessmen who established deep roots here. When you look at the history of the National Bank of Dubai, you find Indians in crucial positions among the initial founders. Now, you would find that an average Indian knows a lot more about America than about the UAE, and it’s the same for an average Emirati. The younger generation is less connected and that's a challenge for policymakers.” He suggested opening internships in multinational Indian firms to Emiratis as a potential solution, stating, “There are new pathways open to us which will create different ways of engagement.”

Beyond significant investments in defense, technology, artificial intelligence, and cyber defense, the relationship's strength is amplified by the 4.5 million Indians residing in the UAE, the largest Indian diaspora outside their homeland. The UAE ranks as India's third-largest trading partner, following the US and China, and is among the top five sources of investment. Bilateral trade has surpassed $100 billion, with ambitions to double it by 2032. The UAE is also home to 22 Indian billionaires who have established conglomerates across retail, healthcare, education, and real estate sectors. The Dubai Chamber of Commerce reports that 83,000 Indian companies are active members, with 15,000 new Indian companies registered last year.

“There is recognition on both sides that this is a crucial relationship for both,” said Mr. Suri, who was honored with the UAE’s First Class Order of Zayed II, the nation’s second-highest civilian award, for his contributions to advancing bilateral ties. “The people-to-people bridge contributes to trade, to homegrown billionaires from the Indian community in UAE who are now investing back in India. Even as government-to-government relations go from strength to strength, there's that underlying platform of a very strong community bridge, and that is a huge intangible for us.”