10 Dec, 2025

‘Two-plus-One’ Dialogue: UAE as a Bridge in Potential Trilateral Cooperation with China and India


The evolving global order has placed increasing importance on partnerships among emerging powers, particularly within the Global South. In this context, cooperation first between China and India, and then extending this cooperation to a trilateral format with the UAE as a bridge, is a proposition that shows great promise. By drawing on the insights of a Track 2 team of experts from China, India, and the UAE who convened for a meeting in Beijing, this Working Paper argues that such a pragmatic coalition offers a blueprint for post-hegemonic cooperation, where diverse powers build trust through shared action rather than declarations. To establish this coalition, the Working Paper recommends initiatives such as forming a ‘China-India-UAE Strategic Economic Dialogue’ and engaging Chinese, Indian, and Emirati youth.

Publication Details

  • Author
    Dr Tingyi Wang, Dr Narayanappa Janardhan, Mohammed Baharoon, Youmna Elrasheed, Dr Wang Xu, Dr Hu Shisheng, Dr Tang Zhichao, Mohammed Saqib, Sanjay Anandaram, and Samriddhi Vij
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