Former Indian president Kovind to be chief guest at IBPC Dubai conclave

The Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC Dubai) announced former Indian President Ram Nath Kovind as the chief guest for its 22nd Anniversary Conclave in Dubai.
The conclave, slated to be held on April 25, will focus on strengthening India-UAE bilateral relations, exploring opportunities for Indian businesses and professionals in the UAE, and aligning India's development goals with the UAE Vision 2030.
The event will also serve as a platform for discussions on policy advocacy, advancements in the digital economy, and enhancing collaboration between the entrepreneurs of the two nations, IBPC said.
Former India PM Ram Nath Kovind to visit Dubai
The upcoming event will focus on several key areas aligned with the theme of 'Viksit Bharat', aimed at fostering India's growth and strengthening its global ties.
Key topics will include the digital economy, which will explore strategies to enhance transparency and efficiency in digital trade, especially the digital clearance of transactions.
Additionally, discussions will also focus on cross-border transactions in local currency, which can drive efficiency in trade between the two nations and create a more seamless business environment, it said.
Several significant initiatives and partnerships are also expected to be announced at the anniversary conclave, IBPC Dubai said.
These include the launch of the 'Viksit Bharat' series, which aims to promote sectoral investments in India, with planned delegations focusing on key states like:
Uttar Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Kerala
Assam
Gujarat
Goa
The initiatives aim to attract global investors, particularly in the tourism and sustainable development sectors, fuelling growth and innovation across India's diverse regions.
'As we mark our 22nd anniversary, this conclave will be a testament to our continued commitment to fostering stronger ties between India and the UAE,' said Siddharth Balachandran, Chairman of IBPC Dubai.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Khaleej Times

33 minutes ago

• Khaleej Times

UAE strongly condemns terrorist bombing of church in Damascus

The UAE has strongly condemned the terrorist bombing at Mar Elias Church near Damascus, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries to innocent people. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stressed that the UAE expresses its strong condemnation of these criminal acts and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism aimed at undermining security and stability. The Ministry expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy with the families of the victims, and with the government and people of Syria over this terrorist crime, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured.

Khaleej Times

an hour ago

• Khaleej Times

Ajman Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation and Ajman Bank sign strategic MoU

The Ajman Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ajman Bank, marking a new chapter of collaboration aimed at advancing financial integration and enhancing banking services through innovative and digital-first solutions. The agreement was signed by Eng. Omar bin Omair Al Muhairi, Director General of the Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation, and Mustafa Al Khalfawi, Chief Executive Officer of Ajman Bank. Commenting on the signing, Eng. Omar bin Omair Al Muhairi stated: 'This strategic partnership with Ajman Bank reflects our commitment to advancing the department's digital capabilities and streamlining financial performance. Ajman Bank plays a vital role in supporting our ongoing efforts to build an agile, tech-enabled regulatory environment that responds effectively to the needs of real estate developers and investors.' He further added that through this collaboration, the department will gain access to comprehensive, periodic reports on escrow accounts, enabling greater oversight of real estate development performance. The partnership also paves the way for more seamless financial transactions across stakeholder groups, reducing procedural complexity and delivering future-ready services grounded in speed, privacy, and operational excellence. Mustafa Al Khalfawi, CEO of Ajman Bank, commented: 'At Ajman Bank, we believe in the power of institutional collaboration to elevate the quality of financial services. This agreement reflects our shared vision of trust, integration, and efficiency, and supports Ajman's positioning as a competitive and investment-friendly emirate.' This partnership serves as a model for effective synergy between regulatory bodies and the financial sector, setting the stage for a more stable, transparent, and investor-centric real estate ecosystem in Ajman.

The National

an hour ago

• The National

Israel-Iran war could slow Gulf investment inflow in 2025, warns World Bank regional chief

Foreign direct investment in the Gulf could slow in the second half of this year as the war between Iran and Israel dents investor sentiment, the World Bank 's director for the region has said. Investors will probably adopt a wait-and-see approach as the conflict that started with Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear sites on June 12 worsens, Safaa El-Kogali told The National in Riyadh. 'Even if they've started [investing beforehand], they [foreign investors] might hold off until they see things settling down a bit,' she said on the sidelines of a World Bank seminar on Sunday. De-escalation does not seem likely after President Donald Trump ordered the first-ever direct US military attack on Iranian soil earlier that day. The US attacked three Iran nuclear facilities with six bunker-buster bombs and launched Tomahawk missiles. GCC countries had varied in their ability to attract FDI in 2024. The UAE received Dh167 billion ($45.5 billion) in foreign direct investment last year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said in a post on X on Thursday. This represented a 48 per cent increase, he added. The UAE accounted for 37 per cent of the total foreign investment flows in the region, he said. Saudi Arabia's net FDI inflows in 2024 decreased as a share of GDP, amounting to 1.1 per cent compared to 2.1 per cent in 2023, according to a recent report by the World Bank. Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar saw FDI fall by 7.3 per cent, 2.3 per cent and 0.5 per cent of GDP respectively from 2023 to 2024, it added. Oman saw FDI increase by 2.4 per cent of GDP. This was due to 'prudent fiscal management and diversification efforts' the report said. What is the impact? No one can accurately measure the impact of the escalation on the regional economies, but peace is necessary for economic security and the implications will be broad, Ms El-Kogali said. 'Increasing costs of commodities, of shipments – this will impact a number of industries that import raw material', she said. The conflict will add to inflation, which will affect investors and consumers alike, she added. 'Whenever there is uncertainty … in any region, tourists usually decide not to go,' she said. Travel and tourism made up about 11.4 per cent of the region's gross domestic product in 2024, according to the latest data from the Statistical Centre for the Co-operation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf. Oil prices, which have surged since the beginning of the war, will also have an impact on the fiscal balance of Gulf countries that still rely heavily on oil as their primary source of revenue and exports, she said. Brent and WTI surged by as much as 13 per cent in the first few hours of trading after Israel began its military campaign against Tehran. Oil prices posted a third weekly gain in a row despite falling on Friday as the war sparked supply fears. On Friday, Brent, the benchmark for two thirds of the world's oil, fell 2.33 per cent to settle at $77.01 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate, the gauge that tracks US crude, closed 0.28 per cent lower at $74.93 a barrel. Who will feel it more? Gulf countries that have diversified away from oil, such as the UAE, are more likely to resist hits caused by global economic uncertainty, Ms El-Kogali said. This was a key message of the World Bank report, Smart Spending, Stronger Outcomes: Fiscal Policy for a Thriving GCC, released last week, that measured the growth of Gulf economies until June 1. 'I think this report is really timely, because it focuses on what the GCC countries have been doing, and what impact, or the effect, those policies that have been put in place [have had],' said Ms El-Kogali. 'The UAE has started the diversification agenda a while back and currently, with 74 per cent of GDP being from the non-oil sector, puts them in a stronger position. 'The more you diversify, the more you have different opportunities to deal with crises that come your way. When you put all your eggs in one bag, and something happens to that bag, then you're in greater trouble.' Proper investment Ms El-Kogali said that higher oil prices can benefit Gulf countries, depending on how revenue is spent in the non-oil sector. 'We think that as the non-oil sector continues to be strong and growing, with the easing off of the oil production cuts, that the countries of the GCC have good gross prospects in the short and medium term,' she said. 'We really expect growth to reach 4.5 per cent by 2026 driven by the oil and the non-oil.' It takes time to see the returns of investments she added. This growth is particularly important during period of geoeconomic uncertainty. However, 'there may be the risk of spillovers' of the war which will impact the growth trajectory of Gulf nations, she said. Gulf countries have been prudent in the past during crises and 'we saw that implementing fiscal spending during downturns had a positive impact', she said. There is room to do more to further streamline spending and the Gulf countries must prioritise investments that have high returns, and can create jobs during difficult times, that will then sustain growth through economic cycles, she added.