The Indian Navy diverted a Naval Maritime Patrol aircraft on a surveillance mission in the area and its warship on the anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate the MV Ruen and render assistance.
In a major development, the Indian Navy has rushed to help a hijacked Malta-flagged ship with 18 crew on board in the Arabian Sea a couple of days ago, officials said here on Saturday.
Responding to a Mayday message from the ship, MV Ruen that at least six ‘pirates’ had boarded the vessel, the Indian Navy’s Mission Deployed platform reacted swiftly.
As the grim situation unfolded in the high seas, the IN diverted a Naval Maritime Patrol aircraft on a surveillance mission in the area and its warship on the anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate the MV Ruen and render assistance.
On Friday morning, the IN aircraft overflew the hijacked ship and continuously monitored the movement of the vessel which was seen proceeding towards the Somalia coast in eastern Africa.
Simultaneously on Saturday, the IN warship deployed in the Gulf Aden intercepted the MV Ruen, and other international maritime agencies are also coordinating.
India’s commercial capital Mumbai will host one of the largest post-Covid events to discuss India’s relations with the Gulf region. Prominent attendees include Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economy, UAE; Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society; Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India and London-based industrialist Gopichand Hinduja … A special report by Kaliph Anaz
India’s commercial capital Mumbai will host the 2022 edition of the Arabian Sea Dialogue. The event will analyse the historical ties between India and the Gulf region in the backdrop of current post-Covid scenario. Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is organising the event with the support of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Climateworks Foundation.
The ORF said the event will be a milestone moment as the region witnesses an evolutionary change, transcending the traditional economic interests of trade, energy, and employment. The multitude of geopolitical developments within and outside the region are also reshaping the Gulf’s engagement with India and the world.
The 2022 edition of the Arabian Sea Dialogue in Mumbai on September 27 brings together policymakers, business leaders, civil society, and the youth of the region to deliberate on a blueprint for an ‘Arabian Sea Community’ to shape and reinvigorate the vibrance, passion, and potential among the peoples of India and the Gulf—provided, nourished and united by our shared connection, the Arabian Sea.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan decorating Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, with the Order of Zayed (Photo WAM)
“The pandemic and the heightened geopolitical uncertainty have led to tumult—countries are exploring avenues to transform the crisis into opportunity spurring digital transformation and reconfiguration of supply chains at an unprecedented pace and manner. It has also led to the reimagination and reorganisation of partnerships, such as the I2U2, Quad, and AUKUS, as countries work towards greater synergy and enhanced cooperation.
“Given their shared interests, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and India are re-energising and revitalising their historical connections, imparting an unprecedented impetus to the partnership. The renewed dynamism in India-GCC relations has presented an opportunity for India and the GCC countries to engage better for more significant mutual benefit and greater global good.”
“West Asia is not new to geopolitical upheavals and great-power rivalries. From the oil age of the mid-20th century turning the region into a fulcrum of global power and influence to the Gulf War in 1991 and the Iraq war in 2001, this region has been critical to international politics and economics, and particularly so for western foreign policy. However, recent developments are shaping new security dynamics in the region.
“The Gulf states are hedging their bets: China is the new power player on the block; the Russia-Ukraine war has further pushed the idea of ‘strategic autonomy’; and struggles of some deals, such as the JCPOA, and the success of others, such as the Abraham Accords, represent the changing political paradigm in historically fraught geography. Meanwhile, major external powers are reassessing their priorities. How are the GCC states responding to this new security environment? What fundamentals have the Abraham Accords altered in West Asia and intra-Arab politics? What does the emerging I2U2 equation portend for the future of this region?
The relationship between India and the GCC has fundamentally changed over the last few years. There has been a significant increase in economic engagement and the setting of deeper trade and investment ties between the two regions. The recently concluded CEPA with the UAE and the highly anticipated FTA with the GCC are a testament to the advancing relationship. Beyond the deepening trade links, the emergence of global value chains and supply chains has allowed the two regions to integrate further and reap the benefits of their comparative advantages.
India’s ascension to G20 presidency in December 2022 also provides an opportunity to bring issues of mutual priority to the global high table. In this backdrop important questions arise. What are the expectations of the GCC from India’s G20 presidency? How can partners reshape their economic relationship through the value chain approach? How can digital technologies be harnessed to bolster the resilience of the supply chains in the region? How can India and the GCC leverage their complementarities to create a more conducive investment environment in the region?
PROGRAMME
Welcome:
● Jaibal Naduvath, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
Keynotes:
● Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economy, UAE
● Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society
● Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India
● Pankaj Khimji, Advisor, Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, Oman; Director, Khimji Ramdas Group; Chairperson, Oman Cricket
Looking Ahead:
● Navdeep Suri, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
PANEL DISCUSSION: New Alignments, New Opportunities
Speakers:
● Pankaj Khimji, Advisor, Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, Oman; Director, Khimji Ramdas Group; Chairperson, Oman Cricket
● Vice Admiral Girish Luthra (Retd.), PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, Former Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern and Western Naval Commands, Indian Navy; Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Staff Colonel Pilot Adel Binsanqoor (Retd.), Acting Director of Strategic Study and Scientific Research Division, The Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, UAE
● Sultan Barakat, Founding Director, Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Doha Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
● Abdullah Baabood, State of Qatar Chair for Islamic Area Studies, Waseda University, Japan
Moderator:
● Shamika Ravi, Vice President, Economic Policy, Observer Research Foundation, India
Special Address
● Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Indian Navy
PANEL DISCUSSION: Decoding the New Security Paradigm
Speakers:
● Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Indian Navy
● Sultan Barakat, Founding Director, Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Doha Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
● Shaikha Najla Mohamed Salem Alqasimi, Director, Global Affairs Department, B’huth (Dubai Public Policy Research Centre); Former UAE ambassador
● Rajeswari Rajagopalan, Director, Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Mahjoob Zweiri, Director, Gulf Studies Centre, Qatar University, Qatar
Moderator:
● Harsh Pant, Vice President, Studies and Foreign Policy, Observer Research Foundation, India
Special Address
● Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India
PANEL DISCUSSION: India, GCC and the G20: New Opportunities, New Possibilities
Speakers:
● Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s Chief G20 Coordinator; Former Foreign Secretary, India
● Belkacem Laabas, Senior Advisor and Chairman of the Advisory and Institutional Support Committee, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Shaikha Najla Mohamed Salem Alqasimi, Director, Global Affairs Department, B’huth (Dubai Public Policy Research Centre); Former UAE ambassador
● Mansour Almarzoqi, Director, Centre for Strategic Studies, Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies, Saudi Arabia
● Shivali Lawale, Director, Symbiosis School of International Studies, India
● Mihir Sharma, Director, Centre for Economy and Growth Programme, Observer Research Foundation, India
Moderator:
● Jyoti Malhotra, Senior Consulting Editor, ThePrint, India
Special Address
● Sheikh Humaid bin Ali Al Maani, Chief, Global Affairs Department, Foreign Ministry of Oman
PERSPECTIVES: A Sea of Opportunity
● Gopichand P Hinduja, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group; Chairman, Hinduja Automotive Limited, United Kingdom
● Manisha Verma, Principal Secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, India
● Siddik Bakir, Director, Oil and Gas Division, Policies and Strategic Planning, Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia; CEO, Majlis Advisory
PANEL DISCUSSION: ‘Trade with Trust’: India and the GCC
Speakers:
● Walid Abdmoulah, Economic Advisor and Deputy Director General, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Arun Raste, Managing Director and CEO, National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), India
● Abdullah Baabood, State of Qatar Chair for Islamic Area Studies, Waseda University, Japan
● Shubhada Rao, Founder, QuantEco Research, India
● Chandrima Sinha, Vice President, Invest India, National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, Government of India
Moderator:
● Reaven Gerrad D’Souza, Managing Editor, The Times Kuwait
PERSPECTIVES: Changing priorities in the era of the green transition
● Shaymaa Elsharqawi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Falcon Institute for Strategic Studies and Human Development, Egypt
● Devanathan Parthasarathy, Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay, India
PANEL DISCUSSION: Green Mobility: ‘Driving’ the race to net zero
Speakers:
● Shaymaa Elsharqawi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Falcon Institute for Strategic Studies and Human Development, Egypt
● Emre Hatipoglu, Research Fellow, Oil and Gas Programme, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, Saudi Arabia
● Kiran Raju, Founder and CEO, Grene Robotics, India
● Nilanjan Ghosh, Director, Centre for New Economic Diplomacy, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Sharvari Patki, Programme Head, Electric Mobility, WRI India
Moderator:
● Siddik Bakir, Director, Oil and Gas Division, Policies and Strategic Planning, Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia; CEO, Majlis Advisory
Leveraging the India-Gulf relationship for Climate Finance
Speakers:
● Walid Abdmoulah, Economic Advisor and Deputy Director General, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Paul Abraham, President, Hinduja Foundation, India
● Belkacem Laabas, Senior Advisor and Chairman of the Advisory and Institutional Support Committee, Arab Planning Institute, Kuwait
● Srinath Sridharan, Co-Founder, 4P Consulting, India
● Prachi Shevgaonkar, Founder and CEO, Cool The Globe, India
Moderator:
● Shamika Ravi, Vice President, Economic Policy, Observer Research Foundation, India
Special Address
● Sanjay Kumar, Secretary (Youth Affairs), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India
PERSPECTIVES: An Isthmus of Ideas
● Manisha Verma, Principal Secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, India
● Amer Al Rawas, Chairman, Concordia Group, Oman
PANEL DISCUSSION: Making Arabian Sea Community the Global Innovation Hub
Speakers:
● Amer Al Rawas, Chairperson, Concordia Group, Oman
● Chandrima Sinha, Vice President, Invest India, National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, Government of India
● Manisha Verma, Principal Secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, India
● Mrigank Tripathi, Chief Growth Officer, India & MEA, PeopleStrong, India
● George Paul, Head, Strategic Alliances and Partnerships, JioGenNext, India
● Kshama Fernandes, Vice Chairperson, Northern Arc Capital, India
Moderator:
● Reaven Gerrad D’Souza, Managing Editor, The Times Kuwait
PANEL DISCUSSION: Women Leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Speakers:
● Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society
● Shivali Lawale, Director, Symbiosis School of International Studies, India
● Shaikha Najla Mohamed Salem Alqasimi, Director, Global Affairs Department, B’huth (Dubai Public Policy Research Centre); Former UAE ambassador
● Shaymaa Elsharqawi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Falcon Institute for Strategic Studies and Human Development, Egypt
● Ambika Vishwanath, Founder and Director, Kubernein Initiative, India
Moderator:
● Jyoti Malhotra, Senior Consulting Editor, ThePrint, India
PERSPECTIVES: The ‘Y’ Factor: Towards Shaping a Common Arabian Sea Destiny
● Staff Colonel Pilot Adel Binsanqoor (Retd.), Acting Director of Strategic Study and Scientific Research Division, The Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, UAE
● Madhukeshwar Desai, Founder and CEO, Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration; National Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, India
● Kaustubh Dhavse, Officer on Special Duty to the Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra, India
PERSPECTIVES: EMERGING ARCHITECTURES
● Hamad Ebrahim Al-Abdulla, Executive Director, Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (DERASAT), Bahrain
● Mansour Almarzoqi, Director, Centre for Strategic Studies, Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies, Saudi Arabia
VALEDICTORY SESSION: Towards a Shared, Prosperous Future
● Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC – ITICS; Member, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council); Chairperson, India-Oman Friendship Society
● Pankaj Khimji, Advisor Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, Oman; Director, Khimji Ramdas Group; Chairperson, Oman Cricket
● Mahjoob Zweiri, Director, Gulf Studies Centre, Qatar University, Qatar
● Navdeep Suri, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
● Sanjay Kumar, Secretary (Youth Affairs), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India
● Rajesh Shah, Trustee, Observer Research Foundation; Co-Chairperson and Managing Director, Mukand Ltd., India
Vote of Thanks:
● Dhaval Desai, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
Emirates has successfully concluded the 2022 edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), welcoming more than 15,000 visitors to its stand to experience the airline’s products and services…reports Asian Lite News
With an air of optimism, the airline also wrapped up a packed schedule of nearly 200 meetings with industry and trade partners, networking, press briefings, as well as numerous new tie-ups with airlines, tourism boards, free zones and technology partners.
The centrepiece of this year’s product showcase was the full Emirates Premium Economy Class experience, which it will begin selling from 1 June 2022 for travel from 1 August to popular A380 routes London, Paris, Sydney and Christchurch from December. Visitors were able to relax, recline and simply experience Emirates’ Premium Economy, and caught a glimpse of what to expect when travelling in this highly sought-after cabin class.
In addition, the Emirates stand showcased its Boeing 777-300ER game-changer First Class fully enclosed private suite exhibit, Boeing 777 Business Class seat, the newest generation A380 OnBoard lounge, along with other iconic products such the First Class Shower Spa and the latest version of the game-changer Economy Class seats.
As part of the airline’s efforts to deliver an enhanced customer experience, Emirates announced the launch of one its biggest service and hospitality initiatives for its frontline teams both onboard and on the ground. Created in partnership with the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), the programme aims to drive consistency across all touchpoints and provide a framework for teams to deliver memorable experiences for Emirates’ customers.
With a strong focus on helping the industry recover through close collaboration and meaningful partnerships, the airline also inked agreements with tourism boards and other partners.
Emirates and Royal Air Maroc launched their codeshare partnership at ATM, set to provide more travel options and value for customers of both airlines across 209 combined destinations.
Recognising the potential of growing inbound tourism and supporting the recovery of key destinations across its network, Emirates inked tourism memorandums with the Malaysian, South African, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority as well as the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. The airline will be capitalising on opportunities and collaborating on joint activities with all of the tourism boards to develop traffic and encourage visitors to experience these destinations from across its network of nearly 130 destinations.
Emirates also extended its partnership with Huawei, one of the world’s top tech brands, to provide further exposure, and bolster brand presence of each brand across multiple markets through joint activities and exciting future collaborations.
To attract more investments and business to Dubai, Emirates and Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore opportunities for a number of travel-related incentives for businesses registered in Jafza.
Emirates was honoured to welcome UAE royal dignitaries and VIP guests to its stand at ATM including His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum also received a Jamaican tourism delegation headed by Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism.
During ATM, the airline was again crowned as ‘Best Airline Worldwide’ for the ninth consecutive time at the Business Traveller Middle East awards, in addition to picking up “Best Premium Economy Class”, “Best Economy Class” and “Best Frequent Flyer Programme”.
The Arabian Travel Market 2022 is the region’s largest travel and trade exhibition, welcoming more than 30,000 attendees from over 120 destinations.
The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) said earlier on Tuesday that one of its oil exploration drilling rigs and three construction barges of Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. (AIL) were involved in the unfortunate incidents during the Cyclone Tauktae onslaught…reports Asian Lite News.
In one of the biggest search and rescue operations in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy (IN) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued 314 people stranded and struggling for survival on two barges that were engulfed by Cyclone Tauktae, officials said here on Tuesday.
All the 137 people marooned on the Barge GAL Constructor have been successfully rescued by the IN and ICG teams after daring helicopter and ship operations braving extreme weather conditions, battling tall waves, heavy rains and strong winds of over 100 km/hr, near the Colaba Point.
Similarly, another 180 persons out of 273 on board Barge Papaa-305 were picked up with the help of INS Kochi, INS Kolkata, OSV Ahilya, OSV Ocean Energy and Sea King helicopters, even as the vessel sank in the sea on Tuesday morning.
Efforts are on to rescue the other people still trapped in the waters as the intensity of Cyclone Tauktae seemed to be on the wane after it made a landfall around midnight.
The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) said earlier on Tuesday that one of its oil exploration drilling rigs and three construction barges of Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. (AIL) were involved in the unfortunate incidents during the Cyclone Tauktae onslaught.
The vessels are ONGC Drill Ship ‘Sagar Bhushan’ and AIL’s Barge Gal Constructor which ran aground near Colaba Point, Barge Papaa-305 which has sunk and Barge Support Station-3, which is drifting northwest in the sea with two ONGC offshore vessels sent to provide assistance.
According to IN and ICG, these incidents involved a total of 707 persons of which 314 have been rescued and further operations are continuing since the past 24 hours.
In the wake of cyclone #Tauktae alert, two C-130 J aircraft of IAF airlifted three NDRF teams comprising of 126 personnel and equipment from Bhubaneswar to Jamnagar in the morning hours today.#HADROpspic.twitter.com/h6cCaT4xZ1
Though the ONGC could not provide the total number of staff in the Bombay High Fields, around 175 km in the high seas, the company said that all its offshore installations and oil platforms were safe.
Meanwhile, Afcons said in a statement that together with its consortium partner Halani-Tes-Nauvata, it has been working with ONGC for the revamp of its unmanned offshore platforms in the Arabian Sea.
The extremely severe cyclonic storm Tauktae, reported to be the most severe storm in the last five decades, caused damage to several vessels that were deployed, including an accommodation barge, Papaa 305, Afcons said.
According to the company, the chartered barge P305 along with its marine crew was owned and operated by M/s Durmast Enterprises Limited.
“P305 had a full complement of safety equipment including life jackets and life rafts for all persons on board. We believe all personnel were safely evacuated before the vessel sank. Despite the extreme sea conditions, 182 members on board P305 have been rescued so far by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.
An intensive search and rescue operation including helicopter search operations are ongoing to locate and rescue the missing personnel. All the crew of the other vessels affected by the Cyclone are safe and accounted for,” Afcons said in a late night statement.
“The Afcons-led consortium is working closely with ONGC, the Petroleum Ministry, Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and DG (Shipping) to coordinate the rescue efforts. We shall spare no effort to ensure that the missing personnel who were aboard P305 are quickly located and rescued, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families in this very difficult time,” it added.
