Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, discussed, with Prahlad Singh Patel, Indian Minister of Culture, ways of strengthening the bilateral cooperation between the UAE and India in tangible and intangible heritage.

During their phone call, Al Kaabi briefed Patel about the precautionary measures taken by the UAE to counter the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and highlighted the efforts of the culture and innovation sector to launch initiatives and incentives to ensure its sustainability.

"The UAE and India have close friendship relations spanning over a century, and we share many common values, including historical ties and cultural interactions, as well as shared hopes and aspirations," Al Kaabi said.

In his statement, Patel said that the two sides are aware of the initiatives taken by their governments to address the impact of COVID-19, particularly on the cultural sector.

They also discussed their future cooperation in tangible and intangible cultural heritage, under the auspices of their cultural agreement in 1975, supported by the "Executive Programme for Cultural Cooperation" signed by the UAE and India in 2016.

In 2019, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development inaugurated the "Zayed-Gandhi Digital Museum," in cooperation with the Gandhi Digital Museum in New Delhi, to honour the memory of the two late leaders, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Mahatma Gandhi, the spiritual leader of India. The museum celebrates their common social values.

India was the guest of honour during the 29th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, to highlight the richness of its diverse heritage and its cultural and literary production, as well as to celebrate its heritage, level of development and cultural originality. India was also a guest at the Abu Dhabi Festival in 2018 and presented a full programme of art and music.