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United Arab Emirates keen to forge ties with India in IT sector

The United Arab Emirates, or the UAE, is keen to forge a stronger relationship with India in diverse fields, especially the information technology, or IT, sector in which India has made great strides in the past few years.

This was the conclusion drawn by a seven-member Confederation of Indian Industry, or CII, delegation from the southern region after its discussion with senior UAE officials in different Emirates in the UAE over the past four days.

Addressing a press conference in Dubai, K K M Kutty, leader of the delegation, said the UAE authorities were greatly impressed with the advances made by India in the IT sector. It is a matter of two-three years before India is the biggest force in the IT sector, he said.

In fact, an Indian firm was planning to soon set up an on-line university in Sharjah following the interest shown in the project by the Sharjah's Department of Economic Development at an estimated cost of Rs 200 million.

"The issue is at an initial stage. There are a number of programmes we put on the Web. We provide a total solution with the focus being on content and connectivity," said B S Bhasi, one of the members of the delegation and director of a Kerala-based IT and educational corporation.

Kutty said the authorities in Abu Dhabi had told the delegation that they were looking at India for exchange in education and training for small and medium enterprises.

He said the investment options being considered by the delegation members included general trade, marketing of their respective products, specific joint ventures and setting up a warehousing, stockholding or manufacturing base in one of the free trade zones in the UAE.

Many other possible joint initiatives between the CII and chambers of commerce in the UAE, including organising training programmes in India on human resource development, quality and energy were also being considered.

The other members of the delegation were Shivdas B Menon, Tomy C Madathil, G Soundararajan, E N Komathan, and K Gopikrishnan.

UNI

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