Kamal Nath to attend India-Arab World CEO Summit

Dubai, Oct 31: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath will attend the India-Arab World CEO Summit here in December, being held for the first time by CEOs from India and Arab countries under the patronage of Indian and UAE governments.

''There is a centuries-old relationship between India and the Arab world that extends beyond trade and culture. It is natural that we should seek to strengthen and build on the relationship that exists,'' Mr Nath said.

UAE Economy Minister Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi will also be present on the occasion, for which Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has joined hands with a local organiser.

''With an infrastructure investment requirement of more than 150 billion dollar over 10 years, and an investor-friendly policy environment, India offers excellent opportunity over the long term.

The importance of the forthcoming CEO summit is that it also offers an opportunity to explore how we take forward a relationship that could have profound implications for both partners in the relationship,'' the UAE Economy Minister said.

The summit, for which engineering giant Dodsal is an exclusive partner, will engage CEOs from India and the Arab world once-a-year to evaluate business opportunities in the region.

One of the highlights of the summit will be the launch of India-Arab CEO Guide, developed by local organiser, Moutamarat, and India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), supporters of the summit.

The CEO summit of 2007 will be held in India, an official statement said.

UNI