(From left) Vimitha Deepak, CEO of IBPC; Nimish Makvana; G.R. Mehta; Monika Agarwal; Bindu Suresh Chettur; Smita Prabhakar; Hemant J. Jethwani and Janak Panjuani, the new board members of the Indian Business and Professional Council, in Dubai on Monday.
dubai - Initiatives are designed to further strengthen India-UAE investment and trade
Published: Mon 10 Apr 2017, 6:19 PM
Updated: Mon 10 Apr 2017, 8:23 PM
The Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) will organise several initiatives this year to further strengthen bilateral investment and trade. This was announced by the new nine-member administrative board of the IBPC, which includes its first woman president and secretary-general.
These initiatives include forming a youth and women's wing under the IBPC, conducting frequent road shows for investors, establishing sector-specific working groups and an advisory committee with both Emiratis and Indians, among others.
"We want to take India-UAE relations to further heights. We need collective bargaining to give opportunities for Indian businessmen. The IBPC will be a nodal point for all investor queries. An officer from our platform will be available with the government and our board will follow a result-oriented approach. There will also be an advisory body of past presidents to take forward the IBPC's objectives," said Bindu Suresh Chettur, president of the IBPC.
"There are lots of investors in the GCC who are looking at the new economic opportunities in India - but do not know how to approach and who to talk to. The new IBPC will play a role to help these investors find the right partner and look at the right industry to achieve a faster and higher return of investment," Bindu added.
Replying to a query, she said the IBPC would provide free legal counsel and actively look at helping distressed Indian businessmen in the UAE.
"The Indian economy is on a roll and for that, it needs strategic partners. As the UAE stands by to support India's growth, it becomes crucial for all of us to help rally private sector investors to identify the best investment opportunities and benefit from the India growth story," said Smita Prabhakar, IBPC's new secretary-general.
"Our job is to guide Indian businessmen to avoid loopholes, follow the local rules and regulations and manage their finances. This will help them make well-informed decisions. We are willing to support Emirati investors, work with Indian regulatory authorities and get them a right platform. We have to leverage the good government-to-government relationship to benefit people," explained Hemant Jethwani, IBPC's vice-president.
Janak Panjuani is the IBPC's new treasurer while others elected to the board include G.R. Mehta, Nimish Makvana, Monika Agarwal, James Mathew and Kulwant Singh.
Replying to a query on how the IBPC is helping to overcome challenges, Jethwani said: "Challenges are being mitigated and circumvented. Organisations like ours are making efforts to remove such hurdles."
The IBPC was established in 2003 and today includes around 1,000 members. It works under the auspices of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- deepthi@khaleejtimes.com
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