Oman/UAE: Indian defence minister visits

Manohar Parrikar was due to set out for the Gulf as GSN went to press, visiting Oman on 20-21 May and the UAE on 22-23 May. He is the first Indian defence minister to visit the UAE. According to Indian media reports, the trip was delayed by a few days because of “scheduling issues” or because Parrikar had been ill. The UAE and Indian air forces are due to conduct a joint exercise later in May. UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan discussed defence co-operation at a meeting with Parrikar in New Delhi last September 2015.