India wants Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with UAE to be signed by March 2022: Envoy

Abu Dhabi [UAE], September 23 (ANI): Noting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is India's special partner, Indian ambassador here Pavan Kapoor said that New Delhi wants a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations to be signed by March 31st next year.
Speaking to ANI at Expo 2020 Dubai, Indian ambassador Kapoor said that it is a good occasion for India to enhance trade and business relations not only with UAE but all nations as 190 nations are arriving to participate.
Talking about India's participation at Expo 2020 Dubai, Kapoor said: "It is very clear that by sheer dint of our proportion of the population, by our connections that we have here, we will be the largest participant at the Dubai Expo".
Responding to the question that by when can Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and UAE can be expected, Kapoor said: "We will try for a comprehensive agreement. We have given them and ourselves ambitious timelines. We would want official level negotiations to be complete by year-end. We want CEPA to be signed by March 31st, 2022."
Meanwhile, India and the UAE on Wednesday launched negotiations for the CEPA.
The UAE is currently India's third-largest trading partner with bilateral trade in 2019-2020 valued at USD 59 billion. The UAE is also India's second-largest export destination after the US, with exports valued at approximately USD 29 billion in 2019-2020.
The India Pavilion, which is one of the largest pavilions at the Expo 2020 Dubai will feature an innovative kinetic facade made up of 600 individual colourful blocks.
The states and Union Territories that have confirmed their participation at the India Pavilion along with their delegation for planned B2Gs and G2Gs meetings include Gujarat, Karnataka, Ladakh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu Kashmir, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. These states will exhibit their culture, food and business opportunities at the India Pavilion.
It is developed as a mosaic of rotating panels that will depict different themes as they rotate on their axis.
It represents the theme of 'India on the move' and is a unique amalgam of the rich heritage and technological advances of the nation.
India, which has actively led the fight for climate change and sustainability will also be using Expo's global platform to fortify its place in the world's fight against climate change.
Kapoor said that Commerce and Industry Minister will inaugurate India Pavillion at Expo 2020 on October 1 and hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may also visit the India pavilion during Expo 2020 as the event will run till March 31, 2022. (ANI)