Recently several developments have taken place which have given the India-UAE bilateral relationship a strong fillip. If one were to look at the economic sphere, the

Recently several developments have taken place which have given the India-UAE bilateral relationship a strong fillip. If one were to look at the economic sphere, the Free Trade Agreement ( FTA) signed between both countries in February 2022 (and which came into force in 

) resulted in a rise in non-oil trade.  Both countries are working closely with each other on multilateral platforms. They are also part of I2U2 – India, US, United Arab Emirates, Israel (referred to as West Asia Quad) and 

In recent years, UAE has also been trying to project its ‘Soft Power’, by starting long term visas for entrepreneurs, professionals, artists and even students. These are referred to as 

. While UAE has been a popular destination for professionals and entrepreneurs from South Asia, one of the advantages which the West has had vis-vis the UAE is that in western countries it is easier to secure residency/citizenship. This is one reason why for long the US and Australia, and in more recent years Canada has emerged as an important destination for Indian students.

By introducing Golden Visas, UAE has sought to address one of the key issues why it has lost out to the Western countries in terms of attracting talent. Apart from attracting entrepreneurs and professionals, UAE has also sought to attract talented

Given the fact, that countries like UK are seeking to 

 the inflow of international students (though there is strong resistance to the same) several students from South Asia – especially India – could actually begin to look at UAE as an education destination. The biggest advantage for students from South Asia, especially India, is its geographical location and historical linkages between South Asia and UAE. UAE’s geographical location is important not just from an economic standpoint but also during situations like covid19 students are much closer to home and can return if necessary (air connectivity between India and UAE has grown significantly in recent years).

 international institutions have their campuses in the UAE. Some of the prominent international campuses located in UAE are; New York University (Abu Dhabi) Sorbonne University (Abu Dhabi) and Herriott Watt University (Dubai). It is much more 

 to study at an international campus in UAE, while also spending some time at the main campus . Indian students can also study at an overseas campus of top Indian institutions like SP Jain School of Global Management (Dubai).

While there is no doubt, that the west has a strong research ecosystem, UAE too is trying to establish the same in order to achieve its economic goals for the future. The growing economic linkages not just in the sphere of trade, but also the start-up sector of both countries are also a very important binding factor between India and UAE and should be an enabling factor. UAE has emerged as an important start-up hub in recent years, and many Indian companies are looking to set up shop there. It would be pertinent to point out that the UAE on its part has been trying to draw 

 towards setting up hubs in UAE) . The UAE could thus attract many students keen to set up start-ups and emerge as an especially attractive destination from students from STEM backgrounds. Many UAE universities also try to help students in getting access to 

In conclusion, in a changing economic landscape it is important for Indian students to look at new opportunities. The UAE with the numerous advantages it possesses in terms of geographical location, historical linkages with India and overall opportunities for students could emerge as an important educational destination for students. Soft Power has been an important link between India and UAE and the higher education sector could be an important component of the same.

UAE: A sought after study abroad destination for Indian students?

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