Opinion Aviation Air India’s protectionism could alienate the Gulf India's national carrier has lashed out at the region – but it may come to regret it December 5, 2023
SPECIAL REPORT Infrastructure After stops and starts, GCC rail is back on 2030 timetable In the same week that Dubai announced a 30km extension of its metro network, Kuwait revealed that its $20 billion four-line metro project is to be cancelled. If anything sums up the difficulties associated with connecting the GCC countries by rail, then it is this. Kuwait’s metro hit the buffers as a result of “significant […] December 5, 2023
Finance Egypt and India explore local currency trade settlement Egypt discussed with India’s ambassador to Egypt the possibility of entering Indian financial markets, Egypt’s finance ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. “The two sides discussed ways to encourage the use of national currencies to settle payments,” in a meeting between Egyptian finance minister Mohamed Al Maait and ambassador Ajit Gupte, the statement said. […] November 15, 2023
Sustainability Indian PM may attend Cop28 meeting in Dubai Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the two-day world climate action summit, beginning December 1, during Cop28 in Dubai, according to an Indian media report. Although the official announcement of Modi’s visit is awaited, the prime minister will most likely attend the summit, Times of India reported, citing sources. Environment minister Bhupender […] November 13, 2023
Health Work starts on Dubai factory for Indian pharma business Construction has started on a $54 million factory in Dubai for Indian herbal pharmaceuticals company Himalaya Wellness, as analysts predict more international investment in the UAE healthcare sector. The factory at Dubai Industrial City, supported by financing from Emirates Development Bank, will produce tablets, capsules, liquids and ointments. The Bangalore-based company, founded in 1930, already […] November 8, 2023
People & Lifestyle Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan collects $16m at UAE box office Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan’s latest action-packed movie “Jawan” has become the first Indian film to cross the $16 million collection in the Middle East, the movie makers said in a post on social media. The film was produced by Yash Raj Films, a film production and distribution company in India, The movie, released worldwide on September […] October 8, 2023
India and UAE to expand rupee-dirham trade India and the UAE are actively exploring opportunities to expand the rupee-dirham trade, resulting in an expected five percent saving on all bilateral trade, India’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said. The two countries are also working to lower the remittances cost from the UAE to India, the state-owned Press Trust of India news […] October 6, 2023
Trade India and UAE to discuss investment challenges Government officials from India and the UAE will hold discussions this week to address challenges impacting bilateral investments and review the trade agreement signed between the two countries last year. India’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal will commence a two-day visit to the UAE on Thursday and co-chair the 11th India-UAE high-level task force […] October 5, 2023
Energy India discusses oil price ‘sensitivity’ with Opec+ India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer, on Tuesday urged producers to show “sensitivity” towards consuming countries, hit by prices largely trading above $90 a barrel since Saudi Arabia and Russia decided to extend voluntary cuts to the end of the year. “During pandemic, when crude oil prices crashed, the world came together to stabilise the […] October 4, 2023
Renewable Energy Renewables workforce nearly doubles in a decade Employment in the renewable energy sector has almost doubled over the past decade, the International Renewable Energy Agency and International Labour Organization have found. There were 13.7 million jobs in the global industry in 2022, up from 7.3 million in 2012, the agencies said in the report Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review. Employment growth […] October 3, 2023
People & Lifestyle Mubadala in talks to buy stake in Indian hospital Mubadala is in talks to acquire a stake of less than 10 percent in India’s Manipal Hospitals, in what could be the Abu Dhabi sovereign fund’s first investment in the booming Indian healthcare space, people with direct knowledge said. The fund is holding talks with Singapore’s Temasek, which spent $2 billion in April to raise […] September 29, 2023
Finance India-Middle East-Europe corridor to revive spice route Indian spices and spice products are likely to be the first commercial products to find their way through the new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (Imec), an Indian minister has said. Imec, announced last month at the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, aims to integrate railway routes and link ports along a route from India […] September 21, 2023
Business of Sport Baseball stars line up to invest in Dubai league Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, has amassed a roster of investors before the Dubai league’s launch in November. Between them the investors boast a combined 222 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, 70 All-Star games and 14 World Series Championships. The line-up of former MLB stars […] September 18, 2023
Energy UAE seeks power grid connectivity with India The UAE is looking to build grid connectivity with India, RK Singh, the new and renewable energy minister, said. Earlier this month, India and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the energy field, including grid connectivity. Connecting India’s power grid with Saudi Arabia and the UAE will help India supply power […] September 18, 2023
Trade PIF to open Indian office as part of $100bn investment drive Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is planning to set up an office in India’s Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (Gift City), as part of the kingdom’s plan to invest $100 billion in the world’s fifth largest economy. Gift City is a special economic zone located in Gandhinagar in the Indian state of Gujarat, offering various […] September 12, 2023
Opinion Trade Meanwhile, on the G20 sidelines, history in the making The proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor could become a 'green and digital bridge across continents and civilisations' September 11, 2023
Transport India-Middle East-Europe transport link announced World leaders have announced a shipping and rail transportation corridor linking countries across the Middle East, South Asia and Europe at the G20 summit in New Dehli, India, on Saturday. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (Imec) aims to integrate railway routes and link ports along a route spanning from India to Europe, through the UAE, […] September 11, 2023
Tech India’s Reliance explores chipmaking foray Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries has begun exploring a foray into semiconductor manufacturing, a move that could address its supply chain needs and cater to growing chip demand in India, two people familiar with its strategy said. The telecoms-to-energy conglomerate, encouraged by the Indian government, has held early-stage talks with foreign chipmakers that have the […] September 11, 2023
Infrastructure Gulf and India to discuss possible rail and port links The US, Saudi Arabia, India and other nations are discussing a possible infrastructure deal that could reconfigure trade between the Gulf and South Asia, linking Middle Eastern countries by railways and connecting to India by port, according to US officials aware of the conversations. The talks, which have also included the UAE and Europe, may […] September 8, 2023
Renewable Energy UAE president and Indian PM to meet at G20 summit UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 summit in New Delhi over the weekend, Indian media reported. The UAE has been invited as a guest for the G20 summit by India, the host nation. Though not a state visit by the […] September 7, 2023
Renewable Energy Indian firm to invest $3.3bn in green hydrogen project Indian renewable energy firm Acme Group will invest 270 billion rupees ($3.27 billion) to set up a green hydrogen and ammonia project at an industrial park being developed by a Tata Steel unit in Odisha state, the companies said on Friday. Acme Group will acquire 343 acres of land in Gopalpur Industrial Park, developed by […] August 27, 2023
Retail Qatar to invest $1bn for 1% stake in Reliance Retail Qatar Investment Authority will invest $1 billion for a 1 percent stake in India’s Reliance Retail Ventures, nearly doubling its valuation to $100 billion from its last funding round in 2020. Reliance Retail is India’s largest retailer and the retail arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries. It has been partnering with a slew of […] August 24, 2023
