ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at three significant indicators in that respect: the frequency of military-to-military visits and bilateral activities; the use of joint defence industrial projects as an instrument to cement political ties; and the formalisation of cooperation through the signing of memorandum of understanding and other bilateral agreements. It argues that although operational exchanges have substantially increased cooperation at the strategic level remains generally modest, showing that caution endures on both sides in the domain. Security cooperation remains the most concrete expression of a rapprochement between two countries. Security cooperation between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India also involves the implementation of joint military exercises, such as Desert Eagle – a ten-day air combat exercise – which last took place in 2016 at Al-Dhafra base in Abu Dhabi. South Korea’s military cooperation with Gulf States has been modest but still significant, in particular with Oman and the UAE.
