Abdulla bin Touq, UAE Minister of Economy with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Abdulla bin Touq, UAE Minister of Economy with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Abdulla bin Touq, UAE Minister of Economy with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Abdulla bin Touq, UAE Minister of Economy with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry

UAE minister arrives in Delhi to explore opportunities under CEPA deal


Taniya Dutta
  • English
  • Arabic

Abdulla bin Touq, UAE Minister of Economy, has arrived in Delhi with a high-level delegation to explore prospects of joint investments under the newly inked economic partnership with India.

India and the Emirates signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, in February.

The agreement, which came into effect on May 1, marks a new phase of strategic co-operation and will open additional avenues of investment and trade for companies in India and the UAE.

The trade pact is aimed at accelerating the flow of goods and increasing bilateral trade volumes through duty-free exports.

The benefits include enhanced market access, lower or eliminated tariff rules, simpler customs procedures, clear and transparent protocols and rule-based competition.

“The visit provides an excellent opportunity to further strengthen the already close and dynamic economic ties between the two countries,” India’s Ministry of Commerce said.

“The visit also includes interactions with key investors of both sides.”

.
.

Mr bin Touq is leading a delegation of 80 representatives, including 41 from government and private companies, who will discuss further opportunities under the new trade mechanism with their Indian counterparts during the four-day visit.

“The visit will also brief the UAE delegation about the facilities and services that the historic CEPA will provide to companies and businesses in both countries,” the UAE’s embassy in Delhi said.

The CEPA will provide opportunities for building new and sustainable partnerships between the two countries and take the bilateral economic relations to unprecedented levels, the embassy said.

On Wednesday, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will meet Mr bin Touq and the delegation that includes Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

The delegates will also attend the UAE-India Economic Partnership Summit on Friday in Delhi.

The UAE is currently India’s third-largest trading partner and the second-largest export destination after the US. India is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner and the largest in terms of exports.

India accounted for nine per cent of the total volume of the UAE's trade with the world in 2021, while bilateral trade between the countries stood at $65 billion, according to India’s Ministry of Commerce.

But with CEPA – the UAE’s first comprehensive strategic partnership with any country and India's first in a decade – both nations aim to increase non-oil bilateral trade to $100 billion in the next five years.

The high-level delegation will focus on priority sectors for co-operation that remain key drivers for boosting bilateral ties such as manufacturing, aviation, financial services, food security, transport and infrastructure.

UAE and India gold trade pact takes effect - in pictures

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

(All games 4-3pm kick UAE time) Bayern Munich v Augsburg, Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg v Mainz , Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg, Union Berlin v RB Leipzig, Cologne v Schalke , Werder Bremen v Borussia Monchengladbach, Stuttgart v Arminia Bielefeld

Profile

Company name: Marefa Digital

Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre

Number of employees: seven

Sector: e-learning

Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019

Investors: Friends and family 

Analysis

Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 
Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

Who is Allegra Stratton?

 

  • Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
  • Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
  • In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
  • The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
  • Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
  • She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
  • Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

Directed by: Shaka King

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

Four stars

Ipaf in numbers

Established: 2008

Prize money:  $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.

Winning novels: 13

Shortlisted novels: 66

Longlisted novels: 111

Total number of novels submitted: 1,780

Novels translated internationally: 66

Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance

Company Profile

Company name: NutriCal

Started: 2019

Founder: Soniya Ashar

Based: Dubai

Industry: Food Technology

Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount

Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia

Total Clients: Over 50

The bio

Who inspires you?

I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist

How do you relax?

Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.

What is favourite book?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times

What is your favourite Arabic film?

Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki

What is favourite English film?

Mamma Mia

Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?

If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.  

 

SERIES INFO

Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series

All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Test series

1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March

Play starts at 9.30am

T20 series

1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March

TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube

Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie

Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)

Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. 

Updated: May 11, 2022, 5:37 PM`