Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday met Sara Musallam, chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, to discuss opening more Indian curriculum-based schools in the UAE to meet the needs of the Indian diaspora.

Pradhan, on a two-day visit to the Emirates, also visited the Abu Dhabi campus of IIT Delhi and inaugurated the Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) there — the first-ever AIC hosted by an Indian institution overseas. The centre is expected to nurture joint start-ups, promote research-led ventures, and strengthen India–UAE collaboration in areas such as deep tech, artificial intelligence, clean energy and healthcare, while serving as a gateway for Indian innovators to Middle Eastern markets.

During his visit, Pradhan launched B.Tech and PhD programmes in Chemical Engineering and Energy and Sustainability at IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi. He described the institute as a “beacon of knowledge and research” and a symbol of the growing India–UAE knowledge partnership.

Talks with Emirati officials also focused on implementing Atal Innovation Labs in Indian schools across the UAE and facilitating two-way student exchanges from the school level onwards.

Pradhan will also inaugurate IIM Ahmedabad’s Dubai campus and engage with UAE leaders, policymakers, and academicians to deepen cooperation in education, innovation and knowledge exchange.

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