New Delhi, March 21 — In an open Eid letter to the UAE-India CEPA Council, UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali stressed the country’s resilience, reaffirmed deep UAE–India ties, and offered reassurance to the large Indian community living in the Emirates.
Alshaali said that despite a recent salvo of attacks — which he said included more than 2,000 missiles and drones launched against the UAE, most of which were intercepted — commercial activity and essential services have continued to operate normally. He credited the uninterrupted delivery of energy, water, healthcare, telecommunications and food supplies to the country’s advanced defence systems and a national security framework designed for such crises.
The ambassador noted that hotels, shopping centres and tourist attractions remain open, ports and airports are functioning, and the banking system is sound, with total assets exceeding AED 5.42 trillion. He added that strategic food reserves can meet demand for four to six months and that overall commercial activity has largely carried on without disruption.
Alshaali said this operational continuity has allowed more than four million Indians — along with residents from over 200 other nationalities — to continue daily life with confidence. He highlighted that the UAE–India relationship stretches back centuries, grounded in trade, labour and mutual trust, and that this long-standing partnership underpins current cooperation.
For Indian businesses with investments and operations in the UAE, the ambassador’s message was clear: the country remains open, stable and fully operational, with intact supply chains and functioning logistics. He emphasized that Indians in the UAE are not an external diaspora but neighbours, colleagues and partners who have made the country their home by raising families, building companies from traditional trading houses to startups, and contributing to national development.
Alshaali also said the Government of India has been actively engaged throughout the crisis through its embassy, consular channels and high-level political contacts. He underlined that India is a partner — not a bystander — and assured that the safety, interests and future of Indians in the UAE remain top priorities for both governments.
On economic ties, the ambassador pointed to last year’s bilateral trade, which exceeded USD 100 billion, and said the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) continues to generate opportunities across advanced technology, renewable energy, healthcare, logistics and financial services. He stressed that the economic architecture built by both nations is meant to withstand shocks and that commitments deepen rather than pause in difficult times. “The UAE will move forward from this foundation — resilient, determined, and open for business,” he wrote, adding that the faith Indian entrepreneurs and professionals have placed in the UAE remains well-founded.
Earlier, on March 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke by phone with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to officials, Modi reiterated India’s strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE, and the two leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
