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Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Consul General of India in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said innovation, renewable energy, defence and space technology could contribute to the next phase of economic expansion. He was addressing the Innovators and Investors Series organised by the Indian People’s Forum on October 16.

The proposal comes as both governments pursue a target of $200 billion in bilateral trade by 2032. Trade reached $101.25 billion during India’s 2025-26 financial year, exceeding $100 billion for a second consecutive year, according to official figures.

Reddy urged businesses and investors to establish partnerships capable of taking emerging enterprises into international markets. Investment in technology businesses, he argued, could create additional commercial activity while linking the UAE’s capital providers with enterprises developing products and services in India.

His remarks were an assessment, not a new government commitment or forecast backed by contracts. Achieving the target would require substantial expansion across multiple sectors, including those already accounting for the largest share of bilateral commerce. The $200 billion figure is a bilateral merchandise trade ambition, not a valuation of technology investments or start-up fundraising.

India’s exports to the UAE totalled approximately $37.36 billion in 2025-26, while imports were about $63.89 billion. The UAE remained India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination. India was the UAE’s second-largest trading partner, according to diplomatic trade data.

The technology emphasis follows a September meeting of the UAE-India High Level Joint Task Force on Investments, where officials agreed to advance work on local-currency settlement, payment-system integration and central-bank digital currencies. Those initiatives are intended to make financial transactions and cross-border commerce more efficient. Officials also discussed cooperation in financial infrastructure, an area where payment interoperability could lower friction for businesses operating in both markets.

The task force also examined investment proposals involving manufacturing, food processing and logistics. Projects discussed included an integrated aluminium complex proposed for Odisha, a food park in Gujarat and opportunities for aviation and logistics development at Dholera.

At the Dubai forum, speakers called for greater participation by UAE investors in start-ups seeking financing, commercial partnerships and access to international customers. The gathering connected entrepreneurs with businesses and potential financial backers.

Two enterprises, JE Plus Healthcare and University Living, presented their business models. JE Plus Healthcare focuses on distribution and logistics for healthcare products, while University Living provides accommodation services for students studying away from home. Both were seeking investment to expand their operations. Their presentations illustrated the range of businesses seeking support, from physical supply chains to digital services for international customers.

Actor and investor Vivek Oberoi told participants that unsuccessful investments were part of entrepreneurship and that investors needed to recognise the lessons associated with business failures. He said he had invested in 35 companies, with mixed results across his portfolio.

Jitendra Vaidya, national president of the Indian People’s Forum, said stronger two-way investment could support commercial ties between the countries. The organisation’s business representatives encouraged investors to examine opportunities in technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics.

Mahesh Advani, convenor of the forum’s business council, urged UAE investors to consider start-up financing. Piyush Jhunjhunwala, co-convenor of its business and professional council, identified technology-led businesses as a potential destination for private capital.

Figures circulated at the event described a substantial start-up and venture investment ecosystem in India, including companies operating in financial services and advanced technology. However, the figures covered different categories of businesses and financing activity, making direct comparisons difficult without consistent definitions and reporting periods.

The bilateral trade framework rests on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which entered into force in May 2022. It reduced trade barriers across numerous product categories and provided a platform for wider business cooperation. Trade volumes nevertheless remain sensitive to energy prices, demand conditions and changes in the composition of imports and exports.

Government initiatives now include Bharat Mart, intended to support access to markets, and a Virtual Trade Corridor designed to simplify trade processes. Both form part of efforts to improve the movement of goods and information between the two economies.

The Dubai forum was organised by the Indian People’s Forum, a community organisation that also conducts business and professional networking activities in the UAE.

Addressing the National Assembly in Hanoi on Saturday, Hung presented the government’s economic objectives for next year, including inflation of approximately 4.5%, gross domestic product per capita of $6,100 and labour productivity growth of 8.6%.

The proposed targets form part of 45 socioeconomic indicators submitted to lawmakers as the government seeks to sustain rapid expansion while addressing structural weaknesses, administrative bottlenecks and pressures on public finances.

Hung said achieving double-digit growth would require stronger coordination between fiscal and monetary policies, more effective mobilisation of investment resources and substantial improvements in the business environment.

The government intends to make science, technology, innovation and digital transformation central drivers of economic expansion, alongside institutional reforms designed to improve productivity and encourage private investment.

The announcement follows an earlier parliamentary resolution establishing average annual GDP growth of at least 10% as the national objective for 2026-2030. The 2027 proposal translates that broader ambition into specific annual targets and policy priorities.

Vietnam’s economy expanded by an estimated 9.01% during the first nine months of 2026, according to figures cited in a government resolution issued this month. The performance provides a foundation for next year’s target but also underlines the additional acceleration required.

The government has identified infrastructure development, industrial modernisation and improvements in investment procedures as essential to sustaining expansion. Hung emphasised that economic growth must be accompanied by inflation control and stability in the country’s principal financial balances.

Authorities plan to accelerate public investment disbursement, particularly for strategic infrastructure projects, while addressing delays in project approvals and implementation. Greater efficiency in allocating public resources is expected to support the government’s development priorities.

Private enterprise is also expected to assume a larger role. The administration wants to remove regulatory obstacles, improve access to productive resources and create more favourable conditions for businesses operating across different sectors.

The policy programme places considerable emphasis on improving the quality of growth rather than relying exclusively on expanding investment. Productivity gains are expected to become increasingly important as Vietnam pursues higher economic output and stronger competitiveness.

Hung’s presentation identified institutional reform as a central requirement for implementing the government’s objectives. Ministries and provincial administrations will be expected to translate national targets into specific responsibilities, implementation schedules and measurable outcomes.

The government also intends to strengthen coordination across administrative levels, improve public-sector accountability and address persistent obstacles affecting investment and business operations.

Maintaining price stability represents another important element of the programme. The proposed consumer price inflation target of approximately 4.5% reflects the administration’s intention to balance expansionary economic measures against the need to protect purchasing power.

Fiscal policy will consequently face competing demands from infrastructure investment, public services and social welfare commitments. Monetary authorities will also need to support productive activity without undermining financial stability.

The government’s economic programme includes measures to strengthen domestic production, improve supply chains and encourage technological adoption. These priorities are intended to support industrial competitiveness and reduce constraints on productivity.

Digital transformation features prominently in the development strategy, with authorities seeking broader application of technology across public administration and economic activity. The approach links improvements in government efficiency with efforts to modernise businesses.

The prime minister also stressed the importance of mobilising resources more effectively, including investment capital, land and other productive assets. Better allocation of these resources is expected to help overcome barriers to growth.

Social development remains part of the proposed framework. The government aims to reduce the multidimensional poverty rate by between one and 1.5 percentage points during 2027, while improving living standards and maintaining essential public services.

The targets were presented during the opening of the second session of the 16th National Assembly, which is examining the government’s assessment of economic performance in 2026 and its proposed development programme for the following year.

The broader policy framework also covers environmental protection, national security and international economic integration, alongside measures to strengthen the country’s administrative institutions.

A Communist Party Central Committee decision governing the 2027 budget framework calls for state budget revenue to increase by approximately 9.1% compared with the estimated 2026 outcome.

It also provides for savings of 5% from public investment allocations and 10% from specified recurrent expenditure categories, directing additional resources towards priority projects and social welfare programmes.

By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers NEW YORK: New York’s recurring airport chaos is not simply a problem of bad weather or overcrowded terminals. It is the result of several vulnerabilities converging in one of the world’s most consequential aviation regions: limited airspace, enormous passenger demand, aging and complex infrastructure, construction risks, and a highly interconnected air-traffic-control […]

The article New York’s Three Airports Are Having Occasional Chaos Despite High Modernisation appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The proposed arrangement would require unanimous approval from participating lenders and could facilitate a rights issue intended to strengthen the heavily indebted company’s finances, according to people familiar with the private negotiations.

New World is considering repaying approximately 10% of the loan principal as part of the extension, with a target of completing the arrangement before January. That would represent roughly HK$8.8 billion in repayments, although the proposed terms remain subject to negotiations.

Discussions are at an early stage, and the conditions could change before any agreement is reached. There is no certainty that the banks will approve the extension or that the company will proceed with a subsequent equity fundraising.

The negotiations follow months of efforts by the Cheng family, New World’s controlling shareholder, to develop a financial support package for the property group. A potential rights issue or share placement could be announced as early as November, provided the necessary arrangements are finalised.

A rights issue would allow existing shareholders to purchase additional shares, usually in proportion to their holdings. Such a transaction could provide fresh capital without immediately increasing the company’s borrowing, although shareholders declining to participate would face dilution.

The proposed loan extension concerns financing arranged in 2025 through one of Hong Kong’s largest corporate refinancing transactions. That agreement followed prolonged negotiations with creditors as New World sought to avert a potential default and manage substantial repayment obligations.

Under the earlier restructuring, lenders agreed to extend the maturity of approximately HK$63.4 billion in borrowings originally due in 2025 and 2026 by three years. Loans maturing from 2027 onwards retained their original repayment dates, subject to additional credit protection and collateral requirements.

A further two-year extension would give the developer additional time to manage repayments while pursuing equity financing and asset disposals. The precise maturity schedule and interest terms of any revised arrangement have not been publicly established.

New World’s latest financial disclosures underline the importance of securing lender support. Total debt stood at approximately HK$143.3 billion at the end of June 2026, down HK$2.7 billion from the previous financial year.

Net debt nevertheless increased by HK$6.2 billion to HK$126.3 billion, while the company’s net gearing ratio rose to 68.3% from 58.1%. The figures indicate that its balance sheet remains under pressure despite efforts to reduce gross borrowings.

The group reported approximately HK$17 billion in cash and bank balances and HK$15.8 billion in undrawn banking facilities at the financial year-end, giving it total capital resources of about HK$33 billion.

Those resources provide liquidity for operations and financial commitments, but they are considerably smaller than the outstanding debt burden. Access to banking facilities also remains subject to their contractual conditions.

New World’s annual revenue declined to approximately HK$20 billion from HK$27.7 billion a year earlier. However, core operating profit increased to HK$7.7 billion from approximately HK$6 billion, reflecting an improvement in underlying operating performance.

The company reported HK$2.23 billion in net profit from recurring operations, compared with a HK$1.23 billion loss in the preceding year. Gross financing costs fell 15% to HK$6.3 billion.

Its board decided against paying a final dividend for the financial year ended June 30, preserving resources as management continued its financial restructuring programme.

Alongside discussions with banks, New World has pursued exchanges of outstanding securities to lengthen its repayment profile. On October 14, the company indicated that it expected to issue approximately $189.1 million in new secured notes maturing in 2032 following the early results of a debt exchange offer.

The developer has also been restructuring property commitments. At the end of September, it announced arrangements to surrender its operating rights for the 11 SKIES commercial development near Hong Kong International Airport.

The agreement involves a HK$2.3 billion termination payment to the Airport Authority and additional works and services obligations, with the latter subject to a specified cost ceiling.

For the financial year ended June, New World recorded approximately HK$29.6 billion in attributable contracted sales from property developments and asset disposals. Hong Kong accounted for approximately HK$22.1 billion, with mainland China contributing the remaining sales.

The company also reduced capital expenditure by 6% to HK$11.8 billion during the financial year.

The meeting brought together the Supreme Council Member and the visiting minister as both countries seek to expand commercial partnerships, investment opportunities and diplomatic engagement. Discussions also covered bilateral relations and developments affecting the Gulf region.

Jaishankar described the meeting as an opportunity to exchange views on strengthening relations between the two countries and expanding engagement across the region. He acknowledged Sheikh Saud’s perspectives on bilateral cooperation and confirmed that the situation in the Gulf featured in their discussions.

The talks took place during the final day of Jaishankar’s three-day official visit to the UAE, which began on October 14. The visit was intended to review progress under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and identify opportunities for further cooperation across economic and diplomatic sectors.

Neither side announced a new investment agreement, trade target or commercial project following Friday’s meeting. The discussions nevertheless provided another channel for engagement between India’s government and the leadership of individual UAE emirates, alongside established federal diplomatic arrangements.

Economic cooperation remains central to relations between the two countries. Their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which entered into force in May 2022, provides preferential market access for eligible goods and establishes mechanisms to facilitate trade and investment.

The agreement has supported efforts to diversify commercial exchanges beyond traditional energy transactions, with businesses exploring opportunities in manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure, technology and services. Its implementation also provides a framework for addressing commercial barriers and encouraging greater participation by companies operating in both markets.

Ras Al Khaimah has pursued investment partnerships involving manufacturing, industrial production, construction materials and logistics. Its industrial infrastructure and connections to regional shipping networks provide opportunities for businesses seeking production facilities and access to markets across the Gulf.

The emirate’s commercial engagement with India was also discussed during a July meeting between Sheikh Saud and India’s Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, who was accompanied by business representatives.

That meeting examined opportunities for cooperation across several sectors and ways to utilise Ras Al Khaimah’s economic advantages. The discussions reflected continuing engagement between the emirate’s leadership and businesses interested in developing commercial operations within its jurisdiction.

Friday’s meeting followed talks on Wednesday between Jaishankar and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.

The two ministers reviewed cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Comprehensive Economic Partnership, with particular attention to trade, investment and economic development. They also exchanged views on international issues and developments affecting regional stability.

Sheikh Abdullah reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and identifying opportunities that support the development priorities of both countries. Their discussions covered existing cooperation and possibilities for expanding engagement in sectors considered important to their respective economies.

The diplomatic exchanges come as governments and businesses assess the implications of uncertainty across the Gulf for investment, shipping and energy supplies. Regional stability remains an important consideration for commercial activity involving the UAE and India, particularly given their extensive trade and transport connections.

Jaishankar also participated in the Raisina Middle East Dialogue in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, joining discussions about international connectivity, strategic partnerships and the changing economic geography of global trade.

Speaking during a session examining continental corridors, he highlighted growing competition, emerging transport constraints and the importance of building reliable partnerships. His remarks addressed the challenges facing countries seeking secure commercial connections amid shifting geopolitical and economic conditions.

The dialogue, held on October 14 and 15, brought together participants to examine regional and international developments, including connectivity initiatives and cooperation between governments.

India’s relationship with the UAE also encompasses energy supplies, defence cooperation and investment, alongside extensive people-to-people connections. These established links provide an additional foundation for discussions involving the federal government and individual emirates.

The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi estimated that approximately 4.3 million nationals from India were living in the UAE in 2024, representing roughly 35 per cent of the country’s population.

Ras Al Khaimah’s geographical position near the Strait of Hormuz adds a regional dimension to discussions about trade and connectivity. The emirate borders Oman and maintains industrial and maritime facilities serving businesses involved in manufacturing, construction materials and international commerce.

Against this backdrop, Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF), in partnership with the Charoen Pokphand for Rural Lives’ Development Foundation, is expanding the “Eggs for Next Gen” program, a long-running school nutrition initiative, to 1,030 schools across Thailand, with 12 new schools joining this year. The expansion builds on nearly four decades of efforts to help children gain regular access to fresh eggs as a source of quality protein, while enabling schools to establish sustainable food production.

Launched in 1989, the program goes beyond providing food for school lunches. Participating schools receive support including poultry houses, equipment, laying hens and feed, together with technical knowledge in animal health, farm management, sanitation, production planning and egg management. Students and teachers gain practical agricultural skills, while schools can use eggs for meals and manage surplus production to generate revolving income that helps sustain future production cycles.

The initiative had reached 1,030 schools across 74 provinces, benefiting more than 229,502 students, 17,447 academic staff and2,690 communities. More than523 persons with disabilitieshave also participated in the programme, which targets approximately28 million eggs per production cycle.

Eggs for Next Gen reflects CPF’s broader view that food security depends not only on producing enough food, but on making nutritious food consistently available, accessible and sustainable over time. By helping schools produce fresh eggs locally, the programme brings quality protein closer to children, supports healthier diets, and builds practical knowledge and capabilities that allow schools to maintain food production beyond a single cycle. In this way, the initiative moves beyond short-term food support toward stronger food self-reliance at the school and community level.

As a global integrated agro-industrial and food company with operations and investments across 17 countries and products distributed in more than 50 countries, CPF advances its “Kitchen of the World” vision by placing food security at the heart of its sustainability strategy. Its global presence helps expand access to food for consumers worldwide, while its approach goes beyond producing sufficient food to strengthen quality and food safety, nutrition, responsible production and sustainable supply chains. Together, these efforts support a more resilient and sustainable food system capable of serving people over the long term.

Kobboon Srichai, Head of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations at CPF, said:

“For CPF, food security means ensuring that people can access food that is safe, traceable and affordable today and in the future. To achieve this, we need to strengthen the entire food system, from production to access. By combining technology and automation, strong partnerships, and advances in biotechnology and nutrition, we can improve both the quality and resilience of the food system. Eggs for Next Gen demonstrates how these capabilities can be translated into practical impact, improving children’s access to quality nutrition while helping schools and communities build greater food self-reliance over the long term.”

With the program now expanding to 1,030 schools, CPF continues to translate its food expertise into practical action. Supporting healthier children, stronger communities and a more resilient and sustainable food system.

Hashtag: #CPF #Zerohunger #WorldFoodDay2026 #FoodSecurity #FoodAccessForAll #SustainableFoodSystems #CPFSustainability

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