In September last year, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, French Minister of European and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna and Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sujaishan agreed to establish a formal trilateral cooperation initiative during their meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York. "It is against this background that the three ministers held a conference call today to adopt a road map for the implementation of the initiative," they said on February 4.

The initiative will serve as a forum to "facilitate the design and implementation of cooperative projects in the energy sector, focusing on solar and nuclear energy, as well as combating climate change and protecting biodiversity, particularly in the Indian Ocean region," and the three countries are exploring the possibility of working with the Indian Ocean Rim Association on "concrete, operational projects on clean energy, the environment and biodiversity."

The initiative will also serve as a platform to expand cooperation among the three national development agencies on sustainable projects. These efforts will be supported by a series of tripartite events organised within the framework of India's G20 presidency, which begins on December 1, and the COP28 climate summit hosted by the UAE in Dubai on November 30.

The agreement also covers cooperation and collaboration in defence, health, technological innovation (including academic research and development) and cultural projects.