Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Senior ministers, diplomats and business leaders from the UAE and India used a Dubai forum on Monday evening to sharpen a shared push for bilateral trade to reach $200 billion by 2032, building on the momentum generated by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The high-level gathering, hosted by the UAE India Business Council’s UAE chapter under the theme “Strength in Resilience”, brought together […]
President Donald Trump has put a planned attack on Iran on hold after Gulf leaders urged Washington to allow negotiations more time, while warning that the US military remains ready for a “full, large scale assault” if no acceptable deal is reached. The decision marks a critical pause in a confrontation that has drawn the US, Iran, Israel and Gulf states into one of the most volatile […]
Washington announced a $1.776 billion compensation fund for people who claim they were unfairly investigated or prosecuted, opening a politically charged new phase in President Donald Trump’s campaign against what his administration calls government “weaponisation”. The Justice Department said the Anti-Weaponization Fund would be created as part of a deal resolving Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the unauthorised leak of his tax […]
Elon Musk has lost a major legal battle against OpenAI after a federal jury in Oakland, California, found that he waited too long to bring claims accusing the artificial intelligence company and its leaders of abandoning its founding mission. The unanimous verdict delivered a significant courtroom victory to OpenAI, chief executive Sam Altman, president Greg Brockman, the OpenAI Foundation and Microsoft, all of whom were targeted in […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ADNOC Distribution and Americana Restaurants International PLC have agreed to open up to 200 quick-service restaurants across fuel and mobility sites in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, deepening a push to turn service stations into broader dining, retail and convenience destinations. The strategic partnership announced on Tuesday will bring brands from Americana Restaurants’ portfolio into ADNOC Distribution locations, including standard service stations […]
AI Financial has warned that it may not remain viable over the next year after a steep fall in the value of its World Liberty Financial token holdings exposed the fragility of a balance sheet built around a volatile crypto treasury. The Nasdaq-listed company, formerly known as ALT5 Sigma, disclosed that it held 7,283,585,650 WLFI tokens at the end of its first quarter, carrying them at a […]
OpenAI and Anthropic have pushed their rivalry deeper into corporate technology budgets by launching dedicated enterprise deployment ventures aimed at turning powerful AI models into production systems for businesses. The moves mark a shift from selling access to chatbots and application programming interfaces towards embedding engineers, consultants and workflow specialists inside companies that want AI to reshape operations rather than sit on the edge of office software. […]
Dubai will host a high-level Africa investment forum on 22 October 2026 as Invest Africa and the Government of the United Arab Emirates move to deepen trade, finance and technology partnerships across one of the world’s fastest-growing economic corridors. The Africa Debate – UAE, organised in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, will bring senior figures from government, finance, industry and development institutions under the […]
Abu Dhabi technology group G42 and the Government of India have formalised terms to deploy Condor Galaxy India, an 8-exaflop artificial intelligence supercomputing cluster designed to strengthen the country’s sovereign AI infrastructure and widen access to advanced computing for research, public services and industry. The agreement, witnessed by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi’s official state visit to […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabian Refineries Company has moved to deepen its clean energy ambitions by signing a non-binding memorandum of understanding with China’s Ally Hydrogen Energy to develop a green ammonia production plant in Jazan Industrial City. The agreement, signed on 15 May, places Jazan at the centre of another proposed low-carbon fuel project as Saudi Arabia seeks to build industrial capacity around hydrogen, ammonia […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Energy has joined a $9.75 billion financing package for the Commonwealth LNG export project in Louisiana, giving a major Gulf investor a deeper role in the expanding United States gas export market as buyers seek long-term energy supplies outside traditional Middle East routes. The investment is tied to Caturus, the US energy platform developing the project in Cameron Parish, where […]
Malta has struck a landmark agreement with OpenAI to provide ChatGPT Plus access across the country, making it the first government-backed national rollout of the paid artificial intelligence service tied to a public AI literacy programme. The partnership, announced on 16 May 2026, will allow eligible Maltese citizens to use ChatGPT Plus at no personal cost for one year after completing a free course on artificial intelligence. […]
Lumen Technologies is expanding its long-haul fibre network with a new Seattle-to-Minneapolis route designed to carry heavier artificial intelligence and cloud traffic across a growing northern US data corridor. The project, named NorthLine, is expected to be available by the end of 2026 and will initially support 100G and 400G wavelength services. The route is being positioned as a low-latency link between the Pacific Northwest and central […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Etihad Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with Uzbekistan Airways, opening eight destinations across Uzbekistan to its global passengers and giving travellers from Tashkent access to Abu Dhabi through a single-ticket arrangement. The agreement takes effect from 15 May 2026 and is designed to connect Etihad’s international network with Uzbekistan Airways’ domestic reach through Tashkent, the largest city in Central Asia. Bookings are […]
Jurors in Oakland are set to begin deliberations on Monday in a closely watched trial over whether OpenAI’s leadership broke charitable-trust obligations as the maker of ChatGPT shifted from its nonprofit origins into a profit-seeking artificial intelligence powerhouse. The nine-person jury will consider claims brought by Elon Musk against OpenAI, chief executive Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman after three weeks of testimony that exposed deep divisions […]
The agreement, reached during Modi’s official visit to Abu Dhabi on 15 May 2026, includes a strategic collaboration between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to expand the UAE’s participation in India’s strategic petroleum reserves to 30 million barrels. Both sides will also work on establishing strategic gas reserves, a move that signals a broader shift from emergency crude storage towards a more diversified energy security framework.
The pact places ADNOC at the centre of New Delhi’s stockpiling strategy. The UAE became the first country to partner with India in strategic petroleum storage when ADNOC stored crude in the Mangaluru cavern under an earlier arrangement. The new framework is substantially larger and comes as India seeks to reduce exposure to sudden disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions-driven shifts in trade flows, shipping risks, and sharp swings in spot fuel prices.
India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer, imports more than 85 per cent of its crude requirement and nearly half of its natural gas needs. Its existing strategic petroleum reserve system has underground rock caverns at Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru and Padur, with a combined capacity of about 5.33 million tonnes, equivalent to roughly 39 million barrels. These reserves are separate from commercial inventories held by refiners and oil marketing companies.
The current reserve base covers only a limited number of consumption days, making expansion a long-standing policy priority. Phase-two plans have included additional capacity at Padur and a new facility at Chandikhol in Odisha, while officials have explored public-private partnership models to bring in foreign oil producers and trading firms. The UAE arrangement is likely to support that model by tying storage capacity to assured supply and commercial flexibility.
The energy package also includes a long-term LPG supply arrangement between Indian Oil Limited and ADNOC. The UAE is already the largest source of LPG for India, meeting about 40 per cent of its import requirement. A deeper supply contract is significant for household energy security, as LPG remains a politically sensitive fuel linked to cooking gas access, subsidy management and inflation expectations.
Gas cooperation is another important element. New Delhi has been trying to raise the share of natural gas in its energy mix, but price volatility and limited storage have slowed progress. Strategic gas reserves could help shield fertiliser plants, city gas distributors, power producers and industrial users from abrupt supply constraints. The concept remains more complex than crude storage because gas requires specialised infrastructure, including LNG terminals, underground storage or converted reservoirs, but the agreement shows that both governments see gas security as part of the next phase of their partnership.
The Abu Dhabi talks also build on a wider hydrocarbons relationship. The UAE was among India’s top crude suppliers last year and has become a central partner in LNG, LPG, upstream investment and petroleum product trade. State-backed companies from India hold stakes in Abu Dhabi oil assets, including the Lower Zakum concession and Onshore Block 1, marking a rare upstream footprint for New Delhi in the Gulf.
The timing gives the agreement strategic weight. West Asian tensions have renewed concern over maritime chokepoints and insurance costs for energy cargoes. Any prolonged disruption near the Gulf would affect Asia’s largest consuming economies first, particularly import-dependent buyers such as India, Japan, South Korea and China. Larger stockpiles do not remove that vulnerability, but they give policymakers more room to manage price spikes, refinery supply schedules and emergency releases.
For the UAE, the pact strengthens its role as a long-term energy partner beyond crude sales. ADNOC has been widening its international storage, trading, LNG and downstream footprint as Abu Dhabi positions itself as both a reliable supplier and a capital partner. Participation in overseas strategic reserves gives the company access to storage optionality while reinforcing diplomatic ties with major demand centres.
The Modi-Sheikh Mohamed meeting also covered defence, investment, infrastructure and regional security, underscoring the shift in bilateral ties from labour, remittances and trade towards a broader strategic partnership. The UAE hosts a large expatriate community from India and remains one of New Delhi’s most important Gulf economic partners, with strong links in logistics, ports, food security, renewable energy and financial services.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ADNOC has exchanged two strategic collaboration agreements with partners from India, widening Abu Dhabi’s role in crude storage, LPG supply and energy-security planning at a time of volatile shipping routes and rising fuel demand across Asia. The agreements were announced in Abu Dhabi on 15 May 2026 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE, in the presence of President Sheikh Mohamed […]
Mexico’s tougher enforcement against ride-hailing pick-ups at airports is emerging as a logistical risk for football supporters weeks before the country helps open the 2026 World Cup. Authorities have stepped up action against app-based services such as Uber and DiDi in federal airport zones, reviving a long-running clash between digital platforms, airport taxi operators and transport regulators. The dispute is most visible at Mexico City International Airport, […]
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed Modi on arrival, underscoring the personal diplomacy that has become a defining feature of ties between the two leaders. The visit opened the first leg of Modi’s five-nation tour, which is scheduled to include the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy between May 15 and 20.
The Abu Dhabi stop carries immediate strategic weight for New Delhi as energy markets remain exposed to geopolitical pressure and supply uncertainty. Discussions between the two sides were centred on long-term energy arrangements, petroleum reserves, liquefied petroleum gas supply and a wider defence framework, reflecting the broadening scope of a relationship once driven largely by trade, remittances and crude oil.
Agreements signed during the visit covered defence cooperation, petroleum reserve collaboration and LPG supply. The defence pact points to a gradual shift in the partnership towards security coordination, technology exchange and maritime stability, particularly as both countries seek to protect trade routes and energy flows across the Arabian Sea, the Gulf and the wider West Asia region.
Energy remains the strongest pillar of the relationship. The UAE is among India’s key suppliers of crude oil and gas, while Abu Dhabi’s state-linked energy companies have already taken part in India’s strategic petroleum reserve programme. New Delhi has been seeking to expand reserve capacity as part of a long-term effort to cushion the economy from global supply shocks, currency pressure and price spikes.
For Abu Dhabi, the visit fits a broader strategy of deepening ties with major Asian economies while positioning the UAE as an energy, finance, logistics and technology hub. The UAE’s investment push into ports, renewable energy, infrastructure, food corridors and financial services has increasingly aligned with India’s priorities in manufacturing, digital infrastructure and supply-chain diversification.
Bilateral trade has grown strongly since the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement came into force in 2022. The pact reduced tariffs on a wide range of goods and helped accelerate commerce in gems and jewellery, petroleum products, food, metals, machinery and services. Both sides have set ambitious targets to lift non-oil trade, while businesses have expanded their use of rupee-dirham settlement mechanisms and cross-border payment links.
The partnership has also moved deeper into technology. Artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, data centres, financial technology and advanced computing have emerged as major areas of cooperation, especially after high-level exchanges earlier this year involving Sheikh Mohamed and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The proposed deployment of advanced computing infrastructure in India, with UAE-linked institutions and companies involved, has reinforced the technology dimension of the relationship.
People-to-people ties remain central to the diplomatic equation. The UAE hosts one of the largest overseas communities from India, with millions working across construction, services, health care, finance, aviation, education and technology. Their remittances and social links have long shaped the political warmth between the two countries, while improved consular services, labour welfare frameworks and easier travel arrangements remain important issues in bilateral engagement.
Modi’s Abu Dhabi visit also follows a sequence of symbolic gestures that have strengthened the public profile of the relationship. Sheikh Mohamed visited India in January this year, while senior members of Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s ruling families have taken part in major diplomatic and technology engagements. Modi’s 2024 visit to the UAE included the inauguration of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, a project presented by both sides as a marker of tolerance and cultural connection.
Under the MOUs, international partners are expected to establish EV service workshops that meet VinFast’s global standards in their respective markets. VinFast will ensure uniform, high-quality service through globally-standardized technician training and certification programs, consistent operating procedures and quality control systems, as well as a parts supply network targeting delivery of common spare parts within 24 hours in key markets.
The new agreements are part of VinFast’s long-term strategy to develop a comprehensive EV ecosystem aligned with its international standards, covering aftersales services, charging infrastructure, and customer support. This expansion is expected to further accelerate the transition to electric mobility while ensuring VinFast customers receive support throughout the entire product lifecycle.
VinFast’s international strategy is built on the operational foundation and aftersales capabilities it has already proven in Vietnam. By the end of 2025, VinFast had developed nearly 400 service workshops nationwide, bringing its total global network to nearly 800 facilities.
Building on this foundation, VinFast aims to expand to more than 1,100 service workshops globally in 2026, spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The network will be deployed through multiple models, including dealerships serving retail customers, fleet and transportation business clients, and third-party local service workshop partners.
At the same time, VinFast is implementing a range of customer support policies, including repair time commitments in Vietnam, replacement vehicle support in international markets, as well as battery inspection, software updates, and technical support throughout the ownership experience.
As part of the conference, international partners also visited VinFast’s manufacturing complex and the broader Vingroup ecosystem to gain deeper insights into VinFast’s production capabilities, operational scale, and global growth strategy.
Mr. Bui Viet Hung, Deputy CEO of Global Aftersales of VinFast, said: “Our goal is not simply to expand the network, but to build a customer-centric aftersales ecosystem that delivers an outstanding experience on a global scale. Through partnerships with experienced local operators and the application of VinFast’s global standards, we aim to provide aftersales services that are exceptional, responsive, and reliable. We also aspire to bring Vietnam’s five-star service culture and spirit of dedication to the world, creating a unique experience for international customers. That is VinFast’s long-term commitment to the transition to electric mobility.”
In addition to expanding its aftersales operations, VinFast continues to develop an integrated EV ecosystem that includes products, services, and charging infrastructure through partnerships with strategic partners such as V-Green and local charging infrastructure operators. Through this partner network, VinFast aims to develop a system of more than 1.5 million charging ports globally, helping expand access to charging infrastructure and deliver a seamless, convenient EV ownership experience for customers in international markets.
Hashtag: #VinFast
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
VinFast (NASDAQ: VFS), a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam’s largest conglomerates, is a pure-play electric vehicle manufacturer with the mission of making electric mobility more accessible to everyone. VinFast’s current product portfolio includes a wide range of electric SUVs, electric motorcycles, electric bicycles, and electric buses.
VinFast is entering its next phase of growth by rapidly expanding its global distribution and dealer network while strengthening manufacturing capabilities, with a focus on key markets in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Learn more at: 
https://vinfastauto.com
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai FUCHS Egypt Lubricants has appointed Dynamic Distribution Co. as its official distributor across Upper Egypt, marking a sharper push by the German-rooted lubricant group to deepen its access to workshops, fleet operators, agricultural users and industrial customers beyond the Cairo-centred supply chain. The partnership gives Dynamic Distribution responsibility for expanding the availability of FUCHS products in a region that includes major commercial corridors […]
China’s search for safer gas supplies has pushed energy to the centre of Xi Jinping’s talks with Donald Trump in Beijing, where the war involving Iran has sharpened pressure on both sides to repair a trade channel that collapsed under tariffs. The discussions come as disruption around the Gulf has unsettled fuel markets, tightened liquefied natural gas flows into Asia and revived the commercial logic of United […]
EVelution Energy has moved closer to anchoring a domestic US cobalt supply chain after signing a memorandum of understanding with Democratic Republic of Congo’s state cobalt buyer and Trafigura for long-term shipments of cobalt hydroxide to its planned Arizona refinery. The agreement brings together EVelution Energy, Entreprise Générale du Cobalt and Trafigura in a framework that could channel Congolese cobalt to the United States for processing into […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi has moved to tighten control over its infrastructure delivery pipeline with a unified governance framework designed to cut approval delays, improve coordination and accelerate capital projects across the emirate. The Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre announced the framework on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Infrastructure Summit 2026, bringing 14 government entities into a common mechanism covering municipalities, utilities, […]
