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Vimala Vasan

The main theme of the summit is `India and the World: Engagement and Partnership'. Mr A.C. Patankar, Principal Advisor, CII, told Business Line that India has traditional trade and economic ties with the countries in the Gulf and West Asia.

Abu Dhabi , Dec. 30

THE forthcoming CII Partnership Summit 2004 to be held in Hyderabad from January 7 to 9 will include a special session on India and the Arab world.

The session will focus on the growing ties with the Gulf and Arab states and the areas that need to be focussed upon to increase economic and industrial co-operation. The summit will also see a good representation from Gulf states and discussions on issues related to strengthening ties with the Gulf region.

The main theme of the summit is `India and the World: Engagement and Partnership'. Mr A.C. Patankar, Principal Advisor, CII, told Business Line that India has traditional trade and economic ties with the countries in the Gulf and West Asia. People of Indian origin have been major contributors to the economic development and the prosperity in the six countries of the Gulf.

Increasing trade and industrial cooperation with countries in the region is of vital importance to India, he said. As an aftermath of 9/11, the countries in the Gulf in particular are looking to India as an alternative to the countries in the West, he pointed out.

The special session would therefore address issues such as the recent initiatives with regard to strengthening of India-Israel co-operation and whether this would affect the existing relationship, particularly economic, with the countries in the Gulf, and West Asia. If so, should India allow it to happen and whether the resultant situation could be met with through a realistic strategy and also whether India would be able to manage both relationships independently - these are some of the queries to be tackled in the session, he said.

He said that the subject is of great importance to India in view of its close relationship with the countries in the Arab world and in particularly the six member countries of GCC. The session would provide an excellent opportunity to look at the status of this relationship and to discuss what needs to be done to strengthen the economic and industrial relationship further, he added. There will also be large participation from the Gulf States, Mr Patankar said.

The UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, would be represented at the summit. The session on India and the Arab World would be addressed by Dr Abdullah Dawood Al Azdi, ex-Minister, Plenipotentiary, UAE, Mr Suresh Kumar, General Manager, Emirates Financial Services, Dr Tayeb A. Kamali, Vice-Chancellor, Higher Colleges of Technology, and Mr Salem Ben Nasser Al Ismaily, Executive President, Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development, Oman. Mr R.M. Abhyankar, Secretary (Asia North Africa), Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India would be the keynote speaker. Among other issues to be taken up at the summit are the new paradigms of the New Economy, building Indian multinationals, recovery potential for developed economies, creating a working relationship with Pakistan and bridging India and Singapore to build global networks and investment opportunities in China.

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