SHARJAH // Stronger ties between the Emirati and Indian communities and encouraging local businessmen to visit India to explore trade opportunities were discussed at a meeting of heads of Sharjah companies and senior officials of the Indian mission in the UAE.
“We plan to visit India this year and meet the business community there to understand how we can promote more business,” said Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, the chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at the meeting at the India Trade and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday.
“Encouraging small businesses and businesswomen as well to set up offices in Sharjah is important to us. Big Indian businesses are already in the UAE so now we would like to invite small and medium business enterprises here. This would be a good road to create a strong link between Indian and local companies.”
Senior members of Sharjah’s Emirati and Indian business community met T P Seetharam, the new Indian ambassador to the UAE, and Anurag Bhushan, who recently took over as India’s consul general in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Mr Seetharam said multiple-entry visas, instead of the usual single-entry visas, could be considered for Emirati businessmen keen on furthering trade ties.
“We are here to promote business with Emiratis,” Mr Seetharam said. “Most people don’t know, so they apply for a single-entry visa, but the length of the visa depends on how serious they are about business.
“Initially, we give a multiple-entry visa for one year and if we find that the person has been travelling very frequently in that one year, then we can give it for three years.”
He suggested a letter issued by the chamber of commerce to confirm the traveller was a bona fide businessperson would help to secure the documentation required by visa officers.
Embassy officials could also advise Emirati businessmen about the cities to visit for tie-ups.
“We are here as a team and we will work with you,” Mr Seetharam said.
“Governments may lag behind but the private sector is already creating a synergy between our two countries. Businessmen coming to India just go to Mumbai, but we can point out other dynamic places like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kerala, Gujarat, Coimbatore.
“Half the population of Kerala is here, with excellent connections back home. If we are told how long they have and the time at their disposal, we can help chart a programme.”
India-UAE bilateral trade is close to US$75 billion (Dh275.5bn) making the UAE one of India’s leading trade partners.
Authorities in Sharjah are keen to promote the emirate as a business and investment centre, building on its competitive rates and strategic location near Dubai.
There are more than 17,000 Indian businesses registered with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce.
Mohammed Salem Al Mahmoud, the director of the commercial division of the Saif Zone, Sharjah, said because of the efforts of the India Trade and Exhibition Centre, more than 50 Indian companies would set up office in the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority, or Saif Zone.
“It is important to build links between both our communities in sectors like IT, trading,” he said. “This helps the whole region.”
Sudesh Aggarwal, the chairman of the India Trade and Exhibition Centre, called for support from the Indian government for the centre, which helps Indian companies to set up shop and test the market before committing investments.
“Once companies understand the environment, they can set up shop anywhere in the UAE,” he said.
“But institutions are not easy to run financially because we run as a not-for-profit centre. Our objective is to continue to promote trade and for that we need more support from the Indian government.”
Mr Bhushan said officials were committed to finding solutions.
“The centre has worked as an incubator of initiatives and, in building relations between Sharjah and India, members of the consulate are fully committed to see that Sharjah realises its goals,” he said.
rtalwar@thenational.ae