India and the UAE are set to conduct the collaborative military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone 2024’ in Rajasthan from January 2 to January 15. The joint manoeuvres aim to enhance interoperability through the exchange of knowledge and best practices in urban operations, fostering stronger military cooperation. The exercise, as stated by the Indian Army, seeks to improve joint capabilities and share insights for more effective urban operations.
The enduring friendship between India and the UAE, rooted in cultural, religious, and economic interactions spanning millennia, forms the foundation of this collaboration. The Ministry of External Affairs highlights potential areas of bilateral cooperation, including the production and development of defence equipment, joint armed forces exercises, sharing strategic information, and technical cooperation.
Recent times have witnessed significant advancements in defence collaboration between the two nations, focusing on training, supply of defence inventory, and regular exchange programs. A notable milestone in this partnership was the inaugural India-UAE Joint Air Forces exercise in September 2008 at the Al-Dhafra base in Abu Dhabi.