Indian firms in Jafz grow 3-fold in 10 years

Jafza and India share strong business ties that go back to 1985, the year when Jebel Ali Free Zone became operational. With new investments this bond continues to grow stronger. The number of Indian companies in Jafza has almost tripled in the last ten years growing from 236 in 2002 to 698 in 2012 making India the Free Zone’s one of the most important trading partners.

Indian companies in Jafza generated trade worth Dh12.25 billion in 2011. The volume of trade between Jafza and India continues to grow at a robust pace, but huge opportunities are available for Indian companies in the region which needs to be exploited. Keeping this in view Jafza has organized a Jafza-India Roadshow March 11-12 in Delhi, which includes a first ever Business Seminar on Tuesday March 12, and a 3-day Roadshow, March13-15, in Mumbai.

Jafza’s first ever Business Seminar, organized in collaboration with Jafza’s India Representative MS Global Trade Linkages, focuses on highlighting Jafza’s unique value propositions as the Middle East region’s  unmatched trade and logistics hub and also huge opportunities in the Greater Middle East region comprising West Asia, Africa and the CIS, that needs to be tapped.

Ibrahim Mohamed Al Janahi, Deputy CEO of Jafza and Chief Commercial Officer of Economic Zones World (EZW), the parent company of Jafza, commenting on the Jafza-India Roadshow and Seminar said:

“India and Dubai enjoy historic relationship that has evolved through the exchange of people, culture, merchandise and ideas running through several centuries. It has been a truly fascinating journey that started with Dubai’s dhow-going seafarers and merchants who developed trading routes connecting Arabian Gulf with Indian subcontinent that still remains equally buoyant, despite the passage of time, making India, Dubai and Jafza’s one of the most important trading partners.

“In the last few decades the Middle East has emerged as one of the world’s richest regions in terms of oil and gas reserves and per capita income, but due to lack of infrastructure, industrial development and agricultural resources, the entire region is dependent on imports for all its requirements. Growth in population and higher disposable income continues to drive demand for consumer goods including food products in the region making the Middle East, one of the fastest growing consumer markets.

“The region is now focused on diversifying its economy from oil to non-oil sectors. More than USD 4 trillion is expected to be spent in the region on infrastructure development in the next 10 years. This provides huge opportunities for Indian businesses to capitalize on these emerging opportunities. The seminar aims at highlighting Jafza’s unique position and logistics capabilities as a hub to potential investors to serve the entire region very efficiently.”

Jafza’s unique value proposition has attracted more than 6,900 world’s finest companies that include more than 120 Global Fortune 500 enterprises, to base their regional hubs into the Free Zone.

India, with 698 companies, leads the Jafza’s global business community. Some of the leading Indian companies that have made Jafza their home include Tata, L&T, ESSAR, Adani Global, Titan, SRF, Dabur, Pidilite, Cipla, Apollo Tyres, Landmark Group, FSL, Danube, Transworld, Conares, Loha Ispat, Jindal Stainless, IPCL and Thermax among others.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.