New IIT to be established in UAE under India-UAE trade deal

NEW DELHI: A new Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will be set up in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by the Indian government under the India-UAE trade deal. Signed on February 18. This is for the first time an IIT is being set up outside the country. Presently, there are 23 IITs in India which are all located within the Indian territory. With the establishment of a new IIT in UAE, this will be the first time IITs are making their presence in a foreign country.

"Confirming the historical relations existing between the two countries and realizing the need to establish world-class institutions that encourage and support innovation and technological progress, the leaders agreed to establish an Indian Institute of Technology in the United Arab Emirates," said a statement from the ministry of external affairs.

India-UAE CEPA: IIT to be established in UAE under education cooperation

Also read | IIT Gandhinagar invites applications from international students for PG programmes

A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed by India and UAE with the objective to increase trade between both countries to 100 billion dollars over five years. The deal was signed by the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said a statement from the ministry of commerce and industry.

According to Piyush Goyal, the commerce and industry minister, the India-UAE CEPA is a balanced agreement. He said that around 90 percent of the trade including imports and exports will be benefitted from the deal.

The #IndiaUAECEPA is a very balanced agreement.

Almost 90% of the trade both exports & imports will get significant benefits from this deal: @PiyushGoyal

— Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) February 18, 2022

Also read | IIT-BHU alumnus donates Rs 5 crore for new School of Decision Sciences and Engineering

In November 2020, IIT Delhi’s then-director V Ramgopal Rao had said during a press briefing that the institute will soon establish a campus outside the country. “We are definitely very keen on setting up an IIT Delhi campus outside India and we are looking at possibilities, we are very interested and very keen but the discussions are at a preliminary stage,” he said.