The Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (Dafza) has organised a special forum for Indian businesses under the theme ‘India: A Strategic Partner for Growth in an Evolving Global Economy’.

 

The forum was attended by Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, director general of Dafza; Vipul, Indian Consul General in Dubai; Bindu Chettur, president, Indian Business Professional Council (IBPC)-Dubai; and board members of the IBPC; and several prominent figures and representatives of government agencies and leading Indian companies.

 

The event was held at the Dafza Business Center in cooperation with IBPC - Dubai and Morrison Menon. 

 

It complements India's exceptional investment drive and follows move to attract more new investors to Dubai as a regional hub for their business in the Middle East, in line with Dubai Plan 2021’s goal of making the emirate a global investment hub, said a statement.

 

The forum forms part of Dafza’s efforts to help achieve the vision of the wise leadership to provide an ideal working environment supported by advanced infrastructure at par with the highest international quality standards for the benefit of the freezone’s strategic partners. 

 

It also supports the new era of cooperation between India and the UAE, as part of regular interactions between the countries’ senior officials.

 

The event was launched by Dr Al Zarooni, who said: “Dafza always strives to be a pioneer in supporting the country's growth and attracting more investments, and emphasises the depth of its commercial relations with its strategic partners and hosted international companies, in line with the successful development of relations between the UAE and India which was further heightened by the recent visit of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces to India. We are witnessing stronger cooperation between our countries, which signed 14 bilateral agreements last January. 

 

“Dafza works with a united team to expand our initiatives and provide the best solutions and facilities to attract more investments and maintain our strong relationship with the Indian business community, which reflects positively on the economic growth between the UAE and India.”

 

Vipul said: “The long standing relationship between the UAE and India dates back to more than 4,000 years --making it not only historical but also one of the longest partnerships between countries. We would like to extend our thanks to Dafza for organizing this event, which highlights Indian-UAE relations across different levels. 

 

“The trade between the two countries reached $50 billion in 2016, which is expected to grow by 60 per cent in the next three years, especially across strategic segments like technology, energy, the digital economy and smart services, wherein the UAE is acknowledged as a pioneer. India is working hard to provide more services and expertise to attract more UAE investments and facilitate knowledge exchange in various fields. Today, the country is one of the world's largest and fastest growing economies.”

 

During the meeting, major points were discussed regarding the role of Indian and UAE investments in the growth of the global economy, and how to enhance investment relations between the two countries. 

 

As part of its robust relations with the Indian business community, DAFZA is exploring investment opportunities through promotional tours; meetings with major Indian companies, investors and venture capitalists;  innovative economic solutions that drive commercial growth and diversification; and enhancements to the UAE's role in the development of the international economy.  – TradeArabia News Service