Japan’s SBI Holdings has announced plans to issue a ¥10 billion onchain bond that will be settled via blockchain technology and offer XRP rewards to eligible retail investors, marking one of the most prominent efforts by a major financial group to merge traditional fixed-income products with digital asset incentives. The offering, branded as SBI START Bonds, will provide a fixed interest rate and use distributed ledger infrastructure […]
Dubai will host the 25th Airport Show at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 12 to 14, drawing global aviation industry leaders, suppliers and innovators to one of the sector’s most influential business platforms. The three-day event is expected to attract more than 150 exhibitors from over 30 countries and over 7,000 professionals, including 120 hosted buyers, making it a pivotal gathering for decision-makers shaping […]
By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers NEW YORK: When the Supreme Court of the United States struck down Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs on February 20, delivering a 6–3 verdict that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 confers no authority to impose broad-spectrum duties without Congressional approval, the most consequential reverberations were felt not in […]
The article How A Supreme Court Ruling And A Russian Oil Gambit Rewrote India’s Trade Destiny appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi’s real estate market closed 2025 with transactions worth AED142 billion across 42,814 deals, marking the highest annual value on record and underscoring the emirate’s growing weight as a global investment destination. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, the sector’s regulator and custodian, said total transaction value rose 44 per cent compared with 2024, while the number of deals climbed 52 per […]
The gathering brought together senior executives from global technology firms, domestic start-ups, academic leaders and policymakers, signalling a concerted push by New Delhi to position the country as both a major market and a development hub for AI. Modi framed the technology as central to economic growth, public service delivery and national competitiveness, arguing that India’s digital public infrastructure and vast talent pool provide a foundation for leadership in the field.
Speaking at the event, Modi said AI must be “inclusive and responsible”, emphasising applications in healthcare, agriculture, education and governance. He pointed to platforms such as Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface and the CoWIN vaccination system as examples of large-scale digital architecture that could integrate advanced analytics and machine learning.
The summit’s optics were carefully managed to reflect global engagement. Executives from leading US technology companies shared stages with founders of domestic firms working on generative AI models, language tools and enterprise software. Representatives from multilateral bodies and research institutions discussed governance frameworks, data protection and the need for cross-border collaboration.
Yet the conference also exposed tensions between ambition and execution. Several sessions ran behind schedule, and some industry participants privately expressed concern over policy uncertainty, particularly around data localisation, cross-border data flows and regulatory oversight. Draft frameworks on AI ethics and safety remain under consultation, and companies are awaiting clarity on compliance requirements.
The event unfolded against a backdrop of intensifying global competition. The United States continues to dominate foundational AI research and chip design, while China has invested heavily in domestic models and semiconductor capacity. The European Union has advanced comprehensive legislation through its AI Act, seeking to set global standards on risk and accountability.
India’s approach has been more incremental. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has outlined plans to support compute infrastructure, encourage domestic large language models and expand skilling initiatives. Budget allocations for semiconductor manufacturing and design-linked incentives aim to reduce dependence on imports, although fabrication plants remain years away from full-scale production.
Industry analysts note that India’s strength lies in its software services sector and a large base of engineers. According to data from industry bodies, the country produces hundreds of thousands of engineering graduates annually, many of whom work in IT and business process outsourcing. Major domestic firms have announced internal AI integration plans, embedding generative tools into consulting, customer support and software development workflows.
At the same time, structural constraints are evident. High-performance computing resources are limited compared with those available in the US and China, and advanced chips are largely imported. Electricity reliability, data centre capacity and high-speed connectivity vary across regions. Venture capital funding for deep-tech ventures has fluctuated amid global market volatility.
Civil society groups and some academics used the summit to call for stronger safeguards. They warned that rapid deployment of AI systems without robust oversight could exacerbate misinformation, bias and privacy violations. India’s data protection law, enacted last year, sets out obligations for companies handling personal data, but implementing rules and enforcement mechanisms are still being developed.
Opposition figures have questioned whether headline events translate into durable policy outcomes. They argue that sustained investment in research universities, independent regulators and judicial capacity will be essential to manage the societal impact of AI. Some economists have also cautioned that automation could disrupt segments of the services workforce, requiring targeted reskilling programmes.
Global investors, however, continue to view India as a growth market. International cloud providers have expanded data centre footprints in cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. Partnerships between domestic start-ups and multinational firms aim to build AI systems tailored to local languages and contexts, addressing a market of more than a billion people with diverse linguistic needs.
Modi’s messaging emphasised sovereignty alongside collaboration. He has repeatedly advocated for a global framework on AI governance that reflects the priorities of emerging economies, not solely those of advanced industrial nations. At the summit, he called for shared principles that balance innovation with ethical safeguards, while ensuring access for developing countries.
Diplomatically, the conference reinforced India’s profile as a convening power in technology policy, following its presidency of the G20 and engagement in forums on digital public goods. Whether that translates into tangible influence over global AI standards will depend on sustained coordination with like-minded partners and domestic regulatory coherence.
The twin agreements signal a coordinated push to deepen collaboration on artificial intelligence research, semiconductor supply chains and standards-setting at a time when global competition over emerging technologies is intensifying. Officials described the move as part of a broader effort to align trusted partners around open, secure and innovation-driven AI ecosystems.
The Pax Silica Initiative, framed as a platform for cooperation among governments, industry and research institutions, aims to promote responsible AI development anchored in democratic values and transparent governance. By endorsing the declaration, India has committed to work with other signatories on areas including AI safety frameworks, interoperability standards and resilient semiconductor networks. The initiative also seeks to reduce vulnerabilities in critical technology supply chains, particularly in advanced chips that underpin AI systems.
The Joint Statement on the India–U. S. AI Opportunity Partnership outlines specific areas of collaboration between New Delhi and Washington. According to officials familiar with the discussions, the partnership will prioritise joint research projects, exchanges between academic institutions and closer engagement between start-ups and venture capital ecosystems in both countries. It also envisages cooperation on workforce development, with a focus on skilling programmes to meet rising demand for AI engineers, data scientists and semiconductor specialists.
Senior representatives from both sides emphasised that the agreements build on an expanding technology agenda that has gathered pace over the past two years. The United States has identified India as a key partner in diversifying supply chains for critical technologies, while New Delhi has sought greater access to advanced know-how and investment to support its domestic manufacturing ambitions.
The semiconductor dimension is central to the Pax Silica framework. Global shortages during the pandemic exposed structural weaknesses in chip production networks, prompting governments to reassess their dependence on a limited number of manufacturing hubs. India has since launched incentive schemes to attract chipmakers and component suppliers, positioning itself as a complementary node in the global value chain. Closer coordination with U. S. firms and research laboratories is expected to support technology transfer and design capabilities.
Artificial intelligence governance is another pillar of the collaboration. Policymakers in New Delhi have been working on a regulatory architecture that balances innovation with safeguards against misuse. The partnership with the United States is expected to facilitate dialogue on standards, testing protocols and ethical guidelines. Both countries have expressed support for international cooperation to ensure AI systems are transparent, accountable and aligned with human rights principles.
Industry leaders present at the summit pointed to the commercial opportunities arising from deeper integration. India’s digital economy has expanded rapidly, driven by widespread smartphone adoption and a thriving start-up ecosystem. U. S. technology companies view the market as both a testing ground for scalable AI applications and a source of skilled talent. Joint ventures and research collaborations are likely to accelerate as policy barriers are addressed.
Analysts say the agreements also carry geopolitical significance. As rival powers invest heavily in AI and semiconductor capabilities, technology has become intertwined with national security and economic resilience. By formalising cooperation through the Pax Silica Declaration and the AI Opportunity Partnership, New Delhi and Washington are signalling intent to shape global norms rather than react to them.
The AI Impact Summit in New Delhi brought together policymakers, technologists and academics from multiple countries, underscoring the growing prominence of the city as a convening platform for debates on digital governance. Discussions ranged from generative AI applications in healthcare and education to concerns over misinformation and algorithmic bias. The signing of the declaration and joint statement provided a tangible outcome to those deliberations.
Officials indicated that working groups would be established to translate the commitments into concrete projects, with timelines and measurable targets to be announced in due course. Engagement with private sector stakeholders and research universities is expected to be formalised through memoranda of understanding and funding calls.
PayPal has disclosed a cybersecurity incident that left sensitive customer information accessible for almost six months, attributing the breach to a software error within its PayPal Working Capital loan application system. The payments company has begun notifying a limited number of affected users, warning that personally identifiable information linked to business loan applications may have been exposed online between late last year and mid-year. The company said […]
Markets fluctuated sharply on Friday as digital assets and traditional financial instruments digested the U. S. Supreme Court’s decision that struck down former President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff regime, triggering a brief rally in bitcoin followed by rapid sell-offs and mixed sentiment among investors. The ruling, handed down by a 6-3 majority, found that the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose broad tariffs […]
KITE, the AI-linked digital token, is showing unmistakable signs of intensified market engagement as large-holder transactions, trading volume and price momentum all point to accelerating on-chain activity. Data from blockchain analytics firms show that transfers exceeding $100,000 clustered more frequently toward late January and into February, and that surge in so-called whale transactions preceded sharp spikes in trading activity and price gains. This sequence suggests that major […]
Three engineers working in Silicon Valley have been indicted in the United States on allegations of conspiring to steal sensitive chip design trade secrets from Google and other technology companies, in a case that federal prosecutors say underscores mounting insider threats to the semiconductor industry. The US Department of Justice announced that Samaneh Ghandali, 41, and her husband Mohammadjavad Khosravi, also known as Mohammad Khosravi, along with […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai has moved to enable the resale of tokenised property assets, marking a significant step in a $16 billion plan to digitise parts of its real estate market and make transactions faster and more accessible. The Dubai Land Department has confirmed that the next phase of its real estate tokenisation initiative, developed with technology firm Ctrl Alt, will allow investors to trade property […]
Mayo Clinic Platform is positioning the Gulf as a proving ground for a new generation of data-driven healthcare, with its chief operating officer Maneesh Goyal outlining plans to expand the organisation’s digital ecosystem and deploy two flagship offerings, Orchestrate and Insights, across the region. Speaking on the sidelines of World Health Expo Dubai 2026, Goyal said the future of medicine will be shaped less by individual hospitals […]
Saudi Arabia’s state-owned artificial intelligence company Humain has committed $3 billion to Elon Musk’s AI venture xAI as part of a substantial funding round conducted just before the startup was brought under the umbrella of his space technology firm SpaceX. The deal immediately positioned Humain as a significant minority shareholder, with its equity in xAI converted into SpaceX shares after the acquisition, the company said. The transaction […]
By T N Ashok At the center of Bharat Mandapam, the chiselled, lotus-shaped convention complex that has become the theatre for India’s global ambitions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood for a “family photo” that looked less like a diplomatic formality and more like a merger of Silicon Valley and the Westphalian order. To his left […]
The article India Positions Itself As The AI World’s Third Pole Under PM Modi’s Active Leadership appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
In the dynamic and demanding construction landscape of Saudi Arabia, where ambitious projects under Vision 2030 set a relentless pace, managing growth effectively is the ultimate challenge. Companies face a constant battle against cost overruns, project delays, and the intricate web of compliance regulations. Success in this environment requires more than just skilled labor and heavy machinery; it demands seamless operational control and real-time financial insight. This […]
Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth capital has expanded its bet on regulated digital assets, with filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission showing that Mubadala Investment Company held 12.7 million shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust at the end of December, valued at about $630.6 million. The position, disclosed in a fourth-quarter Form 13F submission, marks a 46 per cent increase from the 8.7 million shares the […]
AD Ports Group has increased its global network to 36 ports and terminals with the addition of Aqaba Multipurpose Port in Jordan, marking another step in the Abu Dhabi-based operator’s overseas expansion strategy. Ahmed Al Mutawa, Regional Chief Executive Officer of AD Ports Group, said the company’s footprint now stretches across the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and Europe, covering the UAE, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Spain, […]
Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence firm Origen has raised $50 million from Bluefive Capital, marking one of the larger disclosed growth investments in the emirate’s emerging AI ecosystem and signalling fresh momentum for technology ventures anchored in the Gulf. The funding, confirmed by both companies, will be directed towards expanding Origen’s operations, deepening research and development capabilities, and accelerating commercial deployments across the Middle East and other target […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi has moved to tighten oversight of its off-plan property market by requiring developers to register all investor Expressions of Interest through a central digital system, marking a significant shift in how early-stage real estate sales are tracked and approved in the emirate. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, the regulator overseeing the capital’s property sector, announced the digitisation of EOIs via […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai APM Terminals has agreed to acquire a 37.5 per cent stake in the South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port, marking a strategic partnership with DP World in one of the Red Sea’s most significant trade gateways. The deal, confirmed by both companies on Wednesday, will see the subsidiary of Denmark-based shipping group A. P. Moller-Maersk join DP World in the ownership of […]
The United Kingdom has moved to impose legally binding obligations on technology companies to take down abusive or non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours of them being flagged, aiming to strengthen protections against online harms that disproportionately affect women and girls. Under amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, firms that do not comply could face fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dell Technologies and Ooredoo have unveiled a strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence deployment across the Middle East, with a focus on delivering AI-as-a-Service through Ooredoo’s Sovereign AI Cloud platform. The partnership brings together Dell’s infrastructure and AI solutions portfolio with Ooredoo’s regional data centre footprint and telecom capabilities, positioning the companies to serve governments, enterprises and regulated sectors seeking advanced AI […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Multidisciplinary consultancy Khatib & Alami has formalised an agreement with Ajman University to establish an endowed academic chair in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, marking a strategic partnership aimed at advancing research, innovation and industry collaboration in the United Arab Emirates. The agreement, signed in Dubai, will see Khatib & Alami fund a dedicated academic position focused on developing applied research in AI […]
World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency venture closely associated with President Donald Trump, unveiled plans to issue blockchain-based tokens backed by loan revenue interests tied to the Trump International Hotel & Resort in the Maldives, a luxury development slated for completion in 2030 and being built in partnership with the Trump Organization and Dubai-listed developer DarGlobal. The move forms part of WLFI’s broader real-world asset strategy aimed at […]
