NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday offered the indigenous Akash air defence missile system to the UAE, even as the two countries decided to step-up their bilateral defence cooperation in fields ranging from military exercises and training exchanges to defence-industrial collaboration, joint projects, R&D and technology transfer.
The offer for the Akash system, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25-km, was made at the delegation-level meeting between defence minister Rajnath Singh and the visiting Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Deputy PM Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
This is in keeping with India’s ongoing thrust to export the Akash system, Pinaka multi-launch rocket systems and the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to “friendly countries”, especially in the Gulf and Asean regions.
While India has already exported BrahMos coastal batteries to the Philippines, Armenia has become the first foreign customer for the Akash, Pinaka and 155mm artillery guns.
India and the UAE at the meeting acknowledged that bilateral defence cooperation needs to be scaled up to match the progress made in other areas such as trade and business, in line with “the vision and determination of the two leaders”, PM Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Singh, describing the meeting as “productive”, said, “For India, the comprehensive strategic partnership with the UAE is of immense priority. In the coming years, we are eager to work closely in areas such as defence cooperation, co-production and co-development projects, innovation and technology. Both India and the UAE are committed to work towards peace and prosperity in the region.”