Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu held high-level talks with the United Arab Emirates Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, to address mounting operational challenges across West Asian skies.

During the bilateral meeting on Thursday in New Delhi, both nations agreed to establish a dedicated technical trilateral committee comprising India, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates to formulate coordinated solutions for regional airspace management.

In a post shared on the social media platform X, the Civil Aviation Minister characterised the discussions as forward-looking and emphasised the pressing need for tighter regional collaboration to keep commercial aviation corridors safe and efficient.

"Had a forward-looking meeting with H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism of the UAE, amid the evolving geopolitical situation and its impact on regional airspace operations. We agreed to establish a technical trilateral committee comprising India, Oman and the UAE to address operational challenges and work towards coordinated solutions," Naidu stated.

Beyond immediate airspace coordination, the discussions also covered strengthening air cargo connectivity to support bilateral commerce alongside new avenues for aviation training and skill development.

Naidu noted that the trilateral arrangement lays vital groundwork ahead of upcoming technical deliberations between the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions scheduled for later this month.

"The meeting also set the stage for the upcoming technical discussions between ICAO’s Middle East (MID) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) Regions later this month on the issue. Where there is a will, there is a way!" he added.

The Indian Ocean interface linking the Middle East and Asia-Pacific flight information regions has faced persistent structural bottlenecks, making seamless handover protocols and disrupted-operations coordination critical as regional air traffic continues to expand.

This diplomatic initiative emerges against a backdrop of severe geopolitical instability across West Asia following the outbreak of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which commenced with US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets on 28 February.

In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks aimed at US military assets across the Gulf, prompting Washington to maintain a strict naval blockade of Iranian ports and resulting in widespread airspace restrictions that forced Indian carriers to suspend several services to Saudi Arabian destinations including Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam earlier this month.

United States President Donald Trump has issued warnings that Washington will not hesitate to resume military strikes against Tehran should the security environment deteriorate further, while maintaining sustained economic and military pressure on Iran.

Simultaneously, Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for drone strikes directed at Saudi energy and military infrastructure, though the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting unmanned aerial vehicles heading toward Riyadh and the kingdom's Eastern Province.

In response to the escalating threats to maritime and aerial corridors, the United Nations Security Council has renewed sanctions against the Houthi movement and called for an immediate cessation of attacks endangering regional security.

Amid these regional headwinds, India and the United Arab Emirates have maintained brisk diplomatic engagement to reinforce their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Earlier on 10 November, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted the UAE Ambassador to India, Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, in New Delhi to explore fresh avenues for deepening bilateral cooperation and strategic alignment.

In a message posted on X following the meeting, Jaishankar wrote, "Glad to receive Ambassador H.E. Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi of the UAE today. We discussed deepening our bilateral cooperation and strategic partnership."

Alongside diplomatic and aviation coordination, robust economic and investment ties continue to serve as a central pillar of the expanding partnership between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.

ANI