Indian companies are now using industrial zones such as KIZAD in Abu Dhabi as a base to expand across the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as increase exports to countries in the Middle East and further afield to Africa, a top UAE official said Sunday.
According to Falah Mohammad Al Ahbabi, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, there has been significant investment from India in Abu Dhabi Ports’ subsidiary Khalifa Industrial Zone (KIZAD).
“Some $90 million has been attracted in Indian investment at the zone since it opened in 2012. We believe this is a reflection of the powerful combination of Abu Dhabi’s strategic location, KIZAD’s logistics efficiencies and the connectivity offered by Khalifa Port,” Al Ahbabi told PTI.
He said Indian companies across the metals, food processing and packaging, pharmaceutical, construction and automotive industries have been household names in the UAE for decades.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the UAE, where he was decorated with the Order of Zayed, would further strengthen relationship and increase trade between the two nations, which already stood at nearly $60 billion annually.
Al Ahbabi, who is also chairman of Abu Dhabi Ports, is of the view that both India and the UAE have extensive maritime pedigrees and a vision for the future that sees the industry at the forefront of global trade through harnessing the latest trends and technologies, from automation to artificial intelligence.
“Indeed, Maqta Gateway, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Ports, has been testing international blockchain solution Silsal with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company to provide a seamless and secure link between stakeholders across the trade community,” he said.