Defence UAE agrees $6bn in military equipment contracts The UAE signed contracts worth more than AED23 billion ($6.3 billion) for military equipment and defence this week, wrapping up the Middle East’s largest defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi. It also further expanded its supplier base beyond its traditional US partners and encouraged local manufacturing. Though no contracts were signed with Israel – with which […] February 21, 2025
Agriculture UAE’s Aqua Bridge to build aquaculture farm in India A UAE aquaculture company linked to the ruling Al-Maktoum family of Dubai has agreed to develop an aquaculture farm and research centre in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh at an initial cost of $461 million. Aqua Bridge Group, whose chairman is Sheikh Ahmed bin Mana bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, said the partnership project in the […] February 21, 2025
Trade Qatar to invest $10bn in India and launch free trade talks Qatar has agreed to invest $10 billion in India as trade ties between the two deepen. The countries have committed to double the level of imports and exports to $28 billion in the next five years and to establish a free trade agreement. A joint statement said Qatar would explore investment opportunities in sectors including […] February 19, 2025
Analysis Oil & Gas Middle East oil producers claw back India market share from Russia Middle East oil producers are clawing back market share from Russia in India. The Gulf producers – led by Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – have made gains as US-led sanctions on Moscow bite and Chinese buyers take more Russian oil. Middle East oil exports to India, which is poised to become the world’s […] February 19, 2025
Oil & Gas Adnoc to sign LNG deal with India’s BPCL State-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) will supply 2.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India’s Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) under a new five-year deal, sources with knowledge of the matter have said. Indian’s state refiner will receive 40 cargos of LNG under the five-year contract with supplies beginning in April. In […] February 11, 2025
Exclusive Trade UAE and India in talks to expand annual trade beyond $100bn The UAE and India plan to extend their 10-year trade deal to eight new sectors to expand their annual bilateral trade beyond $100 billion, a senior Indian business council official has said. These sectors include artificial intelligence, financial services, digital technologies and logistics. The comprehensive economic partnership (Cepa) agreement – the UAE’s first –was signed […] February 7, 2025
Opinion People & Lifestyle The top hotspots for millionaire migrants Dubai, Australia and Singapore are expected to emerge as the biggest beneficiaries January 24, 2025
Real Estate Dubai’s Emaar confirms talks to sell stake in Indian unit Emaar Properties, Dubai’s largest developer, has confirmed talks with companies in India, including Adani Group, for a possible stake sale in its Indian subsidiary. The valuation and other terms of a potential transaction are not finalised, the developer said in a Dubai bourse filing on Thursday. The clarification followed a news article by Mint, an […] January 17, 2025
Oil & Gas India’s oil major turns to Middle East amid Russian shortfall State-run Indian refiner Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) is buying Middle Eastern crude to make up for a slowing supply of cheaper Russian oil, its head of finance Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta said. Indian state refiners typically buy Russian oil in the spot market rather than under long-term contract, but have struggled to purchase 8 to 10 million […] December 30, 2024
Analysis Markets Gulf jewellery sales suffer from gold’s rich streak High gold prices amid widespread geopolitical uncertainty have dented jewellery sales in the Middle East this year. The trend is expected to continue in 2025. India’s sharp reduction of gold import duties in July, from 15 percent to 6 percent, boosted domestic sales but hit Middle Eastern merchants, according to industry insiders. “After a weak […] December 26, 2024
Trade Exports to India from UAE more than double in November Exports to India from the UAE more than doubled year on year to over $6 billion in November, as demand for gold and energy products soared. Imports from India were up by over 11 percent in the same month, reaching $3 billion, data released by India’s commerce ministry showed. Emirati exports to India from April […] December 18, 2024
Renewable Energy UAE-backed group to take India’s ReNew Energy private A consortium including UAE-based investors plans to take the $2.4 billion Indian clean energy company ReNew Energy Global private. The group, comprising Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s subsidiary Platinum Hawk, Masdar, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Sumant Sinha, founder and chairman of ReNew, have proposed $7.07 per share. This is a premium of 11.5 percent to the stock’s last close, […] December 12, 2024
Construction US charges billionaire Gautam Adani in $265m bribery case US prosecutors have indicted Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and seven others, including his nephew Sagar Adani, in connection with an alleged $265 million bribery scheme tied to India’s largest solar power project. Adani has extensive business interests in the Arabian Gulf. The indictment, unsealed in New York on Wednesday, accuses the Adanis and Vneet Jaain, […] November 21, 2024
Oil & Gas Adnoc Gas signs long-term deal with India’s Gail The UAE’s Adnoc Gas has signed a 10-year deal with Gail India, the largest natural gas company in the Asian nation, to supply up to half a million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) starting in 2026. The agreement converts the previous heads of agreement announced in January into a definitive agreement, […] November 15, 2024
Opinion Logistics A new dawn for logistics as the GCC and India draw closer For both parties to benefit, investment in transport infrastructure is needed October 30, 2024
Opinion Markets The US bond market faces a winter of discontent Its shockwaves will spare no debt market on the planet October 29, 2024
Renewable Energy UAE and Rajasthan explore renewable energy project The UAE has signed an investment memorandum with the Indian state of Rajasthan to explore a 60 gigawatt renewable energy project, focusing on solar, wind and hybrid power. The UAE Ministry of Investment said the agreement builds on a broader Investment Cooperation pact between the UAE and India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Rajasthan, […] October 23, 2024
Aviation Adia to invest $750m in debt of India’s GMR Group Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia), the UAE’s largest sovereign wealth fund, will invest about $750 million in the debt of India’s GMR Group, giving it a foothold in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. The investment will also allow the Indian company to reduce the pledged shareholding on its airports business. Adia has invested […] October 23, 2024
Industry Morocco plans to increase its military spending in budget Morocco is planning to increase its military spending by 6 percent next year, as it looks to improve national security and modernise its local capabilities. The defence budget in Morocco’s 2025 Finance Law will be MAD133 billion ($13.4 billion), an increase on the MAD124 billion in the current year’s budget. The Minister of Economy and […] October 23, 2024
Trade UAE agrees to review India’s precious metal export concerns The UAE has agreed to examine India’s concerns over a sharp increase in precious metal exports, New Delhi said in a statement on Tuesday. The concerns were raised at the second meeting of the joint committee under comprehensive economic partnership agreement (Cepa) on Monday as the two nations hoped to reached the $100 billion non-oil […] October 17, 2024
Oil & Gas UAE oil exports to India rise, squeezing out GCC neighbours The UAE’s oil exports to India have risen sharply this year, contrasting with declines for other members of the GCC. In January to September 2024, Emirati exports were up 54 percent year on year, according to data from Reuters. However, exports from the Middle East as a whole have remained broadly stable, increasing by only […] October 17, 2024
Analysis Oil & Gas Middle East to dominate oil exports by 2050, says Opec The Middle East is forecast to provide almost 60 percent of the world’s oil exports by 2050, according to Opec’s long-term outlook. Its oil producers are pursuing aggressive marketing strategies aimed at Southeast Asia and the Pacific region, where energy demand is growing. The Middle East accounted for 49 percent of global crude and condensate […] October 15, 2024
