Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of The Department of Government Relations (DGR), Sharjah, explored potential ways of strengthening co-operation between Sharjah and Indian capital, New Delhi, in healthcare, food security and information technology (IT) in the post-COVID world, during a recent meeting with Dr. Aman Puri, Indian Consul General in Dubai.

The meeting, hosted by DGR, was attended by Sheikh Majid Al Qasimi, Director of DGR, Sharjah; Sheikh Khalid Bin Issam Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation in Sharjah; and Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.

In a discussion on healthcare, the Consul General was briefed on the precautionary health and safety measures taken to provide a safe environment for visitors arriving through Sharjah International Airport.

Reaffirming the close, deep-rooted ties between Sharjah and New Delhi in several areas of mutual interest, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheikh Fahim said that the discussions with the Indian Consul General addressed the sectors of food security and IT, in particular, and reflected the keenness of both sides to strengthen co-operation in these fields to minimise the impact of the pandemic on the economy and citizens of both the countries.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed the steps taken to attain approvals from the Indian consulate to operate flights to India from the Sharjah International Airport. The Consul General confirmed that a new system had been put in place at the Indian Consulate to speed up application approval processes. Dr. Puri also noted that the consulate would provide relevant data on the medical sector in the Indian capital to explore greater cooperation opportunities with the emirate of Sharjah.

The Department of Government Relations was established in 2014, following the vision and directives of the His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and the Ruler of Sharjah, to provide the emirate and its international partners a platform for cooperation and diplomacy.

As the centre of culture, education, and innovation in the UAE, the emirate’s international reach spans the globe. The department supports this outreach through representing Sharjah abroad, welcoming international delegations, and partnering with strategic cities that share Sharjah’s core values. Earlier the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), an affiliate of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), organised an interactive business webinar recently, to introduce the emerging prospects and investment opportunities in competitive sectors to potential investors and businesses from across India, and to highlight the services and facilities offered by various government organisations in Sharjah.

The 90-minute Sharjah-India investment webinar session titled, ‘Opportunities for Indian Companies and Investors’, emphasised the ease of doing business in the emirate and focused on the competitive advantages Sharjah offers for commercial and industrial investment. It also served as a platform to further strengthen the economic and cultural ties between India and Sharjah.

With 21,299 Indian companies currently operating in Sharjah - 15,786 onshore and 5513 offshore, the total trade comprising of exports and re-exports by Sharjah-based Indian companies amounted to nearly Dhs1.5 billion in 2019.

Hailing the strong spirit of friendship and cooperation that has nurtured India and the UAE for centuries, Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) called for an increase in bilateral investments in business sectors that are experiencing rapid growth amid a challenging investment landscape.

Al Sarkal pointed out that healthcare, advanced manufacturing, robotics, innovation and technology, aggrotech, logistics, and media, were some of the key sectors poised for promising business growth in the region.

Describing the India-UAE partnership as “a model for the whole world”, Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said in his welcome note that identifying emerging opportunities for growth between India and the UAE was vital to enable economic revival in the post-Covid-19 world.  “Sharjah is an important emirate for trade ties because of its strategic location, cost competitiveness and unique core strengths in diverse sectors,” he said.

Sunanda Rajendran, Executive Director Indo-Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industries, moderated the webinar and welcomed the distinguished speakers and other guests including trade professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, Sharjah government officials, and business stakeholders.