New business forum set up to bolster UAE-India economic ties

Business Leader Forum (BLF) officials Dr Azad Moopen, Navdeep Singh Suri, Abdhulla Al Saleh and Anurag Bhusan, during the press conference in Dubai on Wednesday.

Business Leaders Forum (BLF), a new interactive platform for Emirati and Indian business leaders that seeks to take the UAE-India trade, economic and investment relations to a higher level, was formally launched on Wednesday under the joint initiatives of the Indian missions in the UAE, the UAE Ministry of Economy and the India Trade & Exhibition Centre.

The new body, headed by Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, as its President, will facilitate exchange of ideas among key business leaders from both countries and will also act as a catalyst for boosting bilateral business ties and cooperation between the UAE and India.
The board of BLF, which will have members by invitation, consists of Dr Ram Buxani - senior vice president, Pares Shahdadpuri - vice president, Sudhir Shetty - Vice President , and Sudesh Aggarwal - ITEC chairman. Sripriyaa Kumaria, director general of ITEC, secretary general of BLF.
Announcing the formation of the BLF at a press conference, Dr Moopen said that BLF would act as be a platform for interactive exchange of ideas the captains of trade and industry in the UAE. "BLF shall not just stop with interaction, but also facilitate in real time the enhancement of trade and investment between India and the UAE by acting as a one-point contact for raising issues faced by Investors in both countries.
Dr Moopen said BLF shall facilitate formation of Dh1 billion Investment consortium for investment into India and in the UAE.
Navdeep Singh Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE; Anurag Bhushan, Consul General of India; Abdullah Al Saleh - undersecretary - Foreign Trade & Industry - UAE Ministry of Economy; and Jamal Saif al Jarwan - secretary general - UAE International Investors Council were present at the event.
Kumaria said the press briefing has been conceived with three fold objectives - launch the BLF, welcome reception for the Ambassador of India to UAE and farewell to the outgoing Consul General Anurag Bhushan who played a pivotal role in the formation of BLF.
Ambassador Suri and Consul General Bhushan expressed their support for BLF and commended its formation in such a short time with clear objectives in place. The ambassador said the Indian mission would work with and support forum to achieve its mission of enhancing trade and investment and furthering UAE-India relations.
Abdulla Saleh said the Ministry of Economy stand united with the Indian mission to support BLF to further bolster the brotherly relations, economic ties and bilateral investments between the UAE and India.
Jarwan announced that the UAE International Investors Council has signed MoU with BLF to enhance investment and protect the rights of UAE International Investors with respect to investments in India. He said BLF would be an ideal platform to work with to achieve the objectives of UIIC. Dr Buxani said India with its biggest strength being the Human resource and UAE with its infrastructure inherit the strength and scope to take trade and other areas of cooperation between the two nations to phenomenal heights. "BLF created through the joint efforts of UAE Ministry of Economy and the Indian diplomatic missions promises to be a real boon in materialising those dreams. The UAE considers India as its extended market and India has to consider UAE as its window to the world market and BLF will facilitate this relationship," he said.
Aggarwal, expressing his thoughts on the formation of BLF, stressed the need for such a forum in particular when the UAE-India relations are scaling new heights. He said BLF was formed with the mission of enhancing trade and investment between two traditional allies in trade and commerce and would act as a platform for interaction between the Indian and UAE businessmen and high level government officials.
He said the BLF membership is only by invitation for Indian and Emirati business leaders and of other nationalities who wish to do business with India and the UAE. Very soon a board of Emirati business leaders will be formed. - issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com