Expat News

UAE leaders Congratulate Indian President on Independence Day

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent a congratulatory message to India's President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of the country’s 78th Independence Day. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai; and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, dispatched similar messages to the Indian President and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion.

"Today, India proudly marks its 78th Independence Day, a testament to the nation’s incredible developmental journey. As we celebrate this significant milestone, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to my friend Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, and to the Indian people. The UAE remains dedicated to reinforcing our friendship, advancing our bilateral cooperation, and fostering strong bonds across all facets of our enduring partnership. Wishing our Indian friends a joyous Independence Day," the message said.

Melbourne University Partners With Shoolini University For Dual-Degree Programme 

Under an agreement, Indian students will pursue undergraduate studies in Science at both Melbourne and Shoolini universities. Students will study for two years at Shoolini University, and thereafter for the next two years at University of Melbourne. In the third and fourth year, students can choose from diverse multidisciplinary majors. The partnership is for a dual-degree programme starting with the Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours). This will be University of Melbourne’s first dual-degree collaboration with a private Indian university.

Over 5,500 UAE's Indian Workers Subscribed Under New Life Protection Plan

More than 5,500 Indian expat workers in the UAE have been subscribed under a new 'Life Protection Plan' that offers up to Dh75,000 compensation for families in case of the death of the insured due to natural or accidental causes. This was announced last week by the Indian Consulate in Dubai, which had facilitated the launch of the new plan by two insurance companies in the UAE to help families of blue-collar workers without a life insurance plan. "In line with the Consulate’s continuing efforts to improve the living conditions and terms of employment of Indian workers in the UAE, the Consulate had facilitated the launch of the Life Protection Plan in March 2024," the report said.

The UAE has around 3.5 million Indian residents, out of which around 65% are blue-collar workers. In the absence of mandatory insurance coverage for the natural death of employees, the consulate pointed out that the legal heirs or dependents of the deceased do not receive any compensation in cases of natural death.

India Seeks Early Market Access From New Zealand For Grape Exporters

India has asked New Zealand to give its grape exporters early market access in a bid to expand bilateral trade in fresh and dried fruit. Trade Minister Todd McClay last week concluded a visit to the South Asian trading giant, holding talks with his counterparts in agriculture, forestry, commerce and animal husbandry. McClay also met a business delegation from Gujarat and the State's chief minister, Bhupendra Patel. Indian Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan welcomed New Zealand's decision to import pomegranates from India and lift restrictions on mango exports. Chouhan also expressed hope for the swift approval of newly audited vapour heat treatment facilities in Lucknow and Delhi, which would further boost the volume of Indian mangoes exported to New Zealand. As per new reports, Minister Chouhan emphasized the potential for expanding trade in other agricultural products, including fresh and dried fruits, such as oranges and bananas. He especially mentioned considering early market access to Indian exporters for exporting grapes to New Zealand.

CBSE Office Opens In Dubai

Sunjay Sudhir, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, highlighted the key milestones in the education sector on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day. He referred especially to the opening of India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) office in Dubai and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), Abu Dhabi campus. "The CBSE office in Dubai started its operations last month to serve the 105 CBSE-affiliated schools in the UAE, and the 325,000 children studying in these schools," he said about the new administrative office, which had been a long-standing demand from the heads of Indian schools in the country. The master’s programme at IIT Delhi, Abu Dhabi commenced in early 2024, and the flagship bachelor’s programme is scheduled to commence in September 2024. "We are in discussions with the Dubai government to start a campus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A)," Sudhir said.