Adani Incorporates New Subsidiary in Abu Dhabi for Running Airports Outside India

Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. has recently incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary named Global Airports Operator LLC in Abu Dhabi. This new entity is set up to handle investment, acquisition, construction, operation, and maintenance of airports outside India.

Adani Airport Holdings currently manages several airports in India, including those in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow, and is looking to expand its operations internationally.

Adani Group has significantly expanded its presence in the Indian aviation sector through Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL).

Adani Group manages eight airports in India including Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport), Ahmedabad (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport), Lucknow (Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport), Mangaluru (Mangaluru International Airport), and Jaipur (Jaipur International Airport) among others. 

Adani Airports handle about 25% of India's passenger traffic and 33% of the country's air cargo traffic. The group aims to transform these airports into world-class destinations, enhancing the overall passenger experience and integrating advanced infrastructure. They focus on creating seamless and secure airport environments, redefining the relationship between cities and their airports.

With the incorporation of Global Airports Operator LLC in Abu Dhabi, Adani Group is looking to expand its airport operations internationally.

Adani Group has announced a significant investment of ₹60,000 crore over the next 5-10 years to expand its airport business1. This investment aims to increase the capacity of the airports managed by Adani Ports up to three times by 2040.

Infosys Collaborates with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) to Optimize and Modernize its IT Infrastructure Services

Leveraging Infosys Cobalt to deliver industry-leading infrastructure-managed services

Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced a multi-year strategic collaboration with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the largest bank in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to optimize and modernize FAB’s IT infrastructure services.

As part of this collaboration, Infosys will leverage Infosys Cobalt, a set of services, solutions, and platforms for enterprises to accelerate their cloud journey, to deliver industry-leading, infrastructure-managed services, including service desk capabilities, to transform FAB’s IT infrastructure. Infosys will help integrate a suite of enterprise tools to drive significant improvements in FAB’s service quality, risk reduction, and business outcomes. These include:

• Artificial Intelligence- (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)-based automation, providing self-healing and self-help capabilities.
• Proactive and prognostic monitoring and observability, improving the resilience of the infrastructure estate.
• Blueprint-based environment provisioning, helping to reduce provisioning time exponentially, allowing faster time to market.
• Leveraging Infosys Topaz, an AI-first set of services, solutions, and platforms, using generative AI technologies to improve productivity and efficiency.

The collaboration aims to transition to an outcome-oriented, automated-managed services model that delivers high-quality, compliant IT services with increased speed and agility. In the long term, it will also establish a highly scalable and flexible IT infrastructure.

The Middle East is a strategic growth market for Infosys, and this collaboration furthers Infosys’ committed focus in the region to enable large enterprises to navigate their cloud-first, digital-first, and AI-first journeys.

Suhail Bin Tarraf, Group Chief Operating Officer, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), said, “At FAB, we are committed to transforming our IT organization and delivering world-class services that drive tangible business outcomes. After a thorough evaluation, we selected Infosys as our strategic partner due to their proven expertise, innovative solutions, and the strong trust they built at all levels. Infosys’ outcome-oriented managed services model coupled with their automation-powered delivery approach will help us significantly improve service quality, compliance, and operational efficiency.”

Dennis Gada, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking & Financial Services, Infosys, said, “We are delighted to collaborate with First Abu Dhabi Bank to optimize and modernize their IT infrastructure services, by leveraging Infosys Cobalt and Infosys Topaz. FAB recognized the need to transform their IT operating model, and entrusted Infosys with their IT infrastructure, enabling their digital journey to proceed faster and with more resilience on the backend. By leveraging our global expertise and investments in AI, cloud and infra, Infosys will also enable FAB to transition to an outcome-oriented, automation-driven execution model and help position it as a digital leader in the financial services industry.”

IIT Delhi Inks MoU To Setup Its 1st Campus in Abu Dhabi

IIT Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi will set a brand new template for leveraging the power of knowledge and unfolding a new chapter in internationalisation of India’s education - Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Leveraging UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) the two nations expand their relationship into domains of higher education and research

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Ministry of Education and Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) to establish 1st campus of IIT Delhi in Abu Dhabi.

The signing took place in the presence of HE Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. The MoU was signed by HE Mubarak Hamad Al Mheiri, ADEK Under Secretary, Shri Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to the UAE and Professor Rangan Banerjee, Director, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

To recall, in late last month the Foreign Ministry of India had announced the first campus of any IITs outside India, wherein IIT Madras campus will be opened in Zanzibar, in East African country Tanzania.

Complementing the ongoing UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the MoU reflects the shared vision of both nations to prioritize educational excellence, innovation, knowledge exchange, and investments in human capital as the foundations for future prosperity and enablers of long-term economic growth and sustainable development.

Expressing his happiness via Social Media, on the signing of MoU, Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that the MoU for establishment of IIT Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi in the presence of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unfolds a new chapter in internationalization of India’s education. An example of New India’s innovation and expertise, the IIT Delhi campus in UAE will be an edifice of India-UAE friendship.

He further said that IIT Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi will set a brand new template for leveraging the power of knowledge for both mutual prosperity and global good. It also unfolds a new chapter in internationalisation of India’s education, he added.

Her Excellency Ms Sara Musallam, Minister of State for Early Education, Chairman of the Federal Agency of Early Education, and Chairman of ADEK, commented on how the MoU represents an important step in Abu Dhabi's commitment to accelerate a world-class education system that serves the national development goals and priorities. The execution of this MoU marks a milestone in our plans towards actualizing a globally competitive education ecosystem. In line with our national strategy, this MoU reflects our commitment to providing world-class educational experiences. We anticipate that the IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi partnership will support our transition towards fostering an environment that nurtures innovation and accelerates high-level research, stated HE Ms Sara Musallam.

IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi will complement the academic, research and innovation ecosystem in Abu Dhabi through collaboration with key players such as Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, Technology Innovation Institute, and Hub71 to offer complimentary programs, conduct cutting edge research, and advance the local startup ecosystem.

The IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi campus is expected to launch its academic programs in 2024 and a host of bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. programs, and operate research centers related to sustainable energy and climate studies, as well as computing and data sciences. IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi is expected to offer a diverse range of programs covering Energy and Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science and Engineering, Mathematics and Computing and other disciplines of engineering, sciences, and humanities.

IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi graduates will join an illustrious alumni network of graduates from 23 campuses across India. With outstanding credentials, IIT Delhi recently ranked among the world’s top 50 institutions for engineering and technology. It also scored a top 30 rank for global employability in the 2022 QS World University Rankings. IIT Delhi has been a frontline contributor to India's R&D ecosystem in sectors ranging from defense, healthcare, and rural development, to transportation, IT, and software.

Abu Dhabi-based HUB71 Launches New Web3/Blockchain Specialist Innovation Ecosystem with Access to $2 Bn+ Funding

Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, has announced the launch of Hub71+ Digital Assets, a dedicated Web3 specialist ecosystem, with more than AED7bn+ ($2 billion) of capital committed to fund Web3 start-ups and blockchain technologies from Abu Dhabi.

Hub71+ is a specialist ecosystem dedicated to advancing specific technology sectors. The first Hub71+ to launch is Hub71+ Digital Assets, focussing on unleashing the disruptive potential of Web3 and the growth of digital assets.

Web3 describes the evolution of the internet into a decentralised online space increasingly built on innovations such as blockchain technology and metaverse applications. Web3 start-ups, from seed to unicorn stage, will benefit from the ability to scale globally through Hub71+ Digital Assets, unlocking access to a host of programmes, initiatives, and its extensive range of Web3 focused corporate, government and investment partners in the UAE and global markets. Hub71+ Digital Assets will be based at Hub71 in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) where Web3 start-ups can operate in a progressive regulatory environment, which offers world-class blockchain and virtual asset infrastructure.

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAE's largest bank and one of the world's largest and safest financial institutions, and its research and innovation centre, FABRIC, join Hub71 as the anchor partner of Hub71+ Digital Assets. FAB will identify leading Web3 start-ups, entrepreneurs, and breakthrough technologies to help the UAE’s largest bank reimagine financial services in the metaverse.

Hub71 has also onboarded a diverse range of partners and Web3 players that form part of Hub71+ Digital Assets including digital asset exchanges and service providers Binance and MidChains, that will facilitate the discovery, trading, and custody of digital assets.

Technology Providers Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Mastercard will also help to bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3 and providing effective infrastructure platforms, and venture studio DAO will assist in facilitating the build and acceleration of new Web3 and digital assets start-ups.

Providing access to capital and investment opportunities, a number of venture capital funds will be available including Binance Labs’ $500 million Investment Fund to invest in Web3, Venom Foundation through its USD 1 billion venture fund, Venom Venture Funds (VVF) in partnership with ICEBERG Capital an ADGM regulated investment manager, Ton Foundations’ $250 million TONcoin. Fund, as well as existing venture capital partners from Hub71 that are set to invest in Web3 companies.

In addition, blockchain platforms Algor and, Polygon, SUI Blockchain, Ton Foundation and Venom Foundation, will enable transparent recording, tracking, and sharing of assets.

The combination of these elements aims to support participating start-ups to launch tokens and promote tokenisation, as part of the fundraising journey.

Ahmad Ali Alwan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Hub71, said: “Hub71+ Digital Assets signifies that Abu Dhabi is open to disruptive businesses driving forward change and transformation on a global level. Decentralisation is the future of a blockchain-based internet, and Web3 start-ups will play an immense role in accelerating this transition. Teaming up with ADGM, FAB and its research and innovation center, FABRIC, alongside the world’s leading Web3 companies and enablers under one roof will provide founders with an opportunity to fundraise, develop and commercialize innovations safely while operating within the largest regulated jurisdiction of virtual assets in the MENA region.”

Dhaher bin Dhaher Al Mheiri, CEO of ADGM, said: “We are pleased to strengthen our association with Hub71 on the launch of Hub71+ Digital Assets. In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, we have seen the rise of new technologies, and ecosystems such as Web3 that have the potential to transform the world. At ADGM, we are dedicated to providing a holistic environment that facilitates a seamless and secure adoption of digital assets to foster the growth of this new digital landscape. This alliance will help start-ups and digital assets to benefit from ADGM's diverse ecosystem and progressive regulatory environment by accessing world-class and innovative infrastructure. This further reinforces ADGM’s commitment to developing the UAE economy and keeping pace with global trends with a risk-based approach. We are delighted to be at the forefront of this revolution by empowering the next generation of businesses and look forward to the long-term growth it will present to the start-ups of the UAE and beyond.”

Suhail Bin Tarraf, Group Chief Operating Officer at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), said: “FAB is trusted as a financial partner to our customers in the real world, and those same customers are now increasingly active in the Web3 space as well. Staying ahead of the curve when it comes to innovations such as blockchain, NFTs and the metaverse, is yet another way we fulfil our Customer First promise as we leverage new opportunities at the intersection of digital identity, ownership, and value. Through this partnership, it is our intent to meet our customers in this emerging digital space and keep them ahead with their financial needs.”

Web3 start-ups at the unicorn stage (valued at more than $1 billion) will also benefit from Hub71’s value creation programme to support business relocation to Abu Dhabi and growth in the Middle East and global markets.

Hub71+ Digital Assets will contribute to supporting the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to non-oil GDP to more than 20 per cent within 10 years.

Abhu Dhabi's $232 Bn Fund Mubadala to Double its Investment in India, China and Southeast Asia

Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Co., which has recently bought a 1.85% stake in Reliance Industries’ Jio Platforms for $1.2 billion, is now preparing to double down on its investment in Technology sector, announced Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala, at the Bloomberg Invest Global virtual conference.

Speaking about areas in which Mubadala aims to build experiences and expertise, and wants to deploy significant capital, he said that the $232-billion fund is looking at India, China and Southeast Asia for potential investments in areas like -- med-tech space, artificial intelligence, life sciences, agribusiness.

Mubadala, which is a state-owned holding company that can be characterized as a sovereign wealth fund, has 9% of its portfolio invested in Asia and it is the second-biggest state investor in Abu Dhabi behind Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), which too has bought stakes in Jio Platforms for $752 Million.

In March 2020, Mubadala Investment Company joined a consortium of investors to invest a total of $2.25 billion in Google's parent Alphabet-owned Waymo Inc autonomous driving technology company.

Notably, an another investment firm owned by Mubadala called "Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC)" wholly owns GlobalFoundries, which is the world’s second largest semiconductor foundry company by revenue.

Besides investment activities, Mubadala has also been doing divestment in some of its portfolio assets in order to redeploy proceeds to new investments. Last year, it sold 34.9 million shares in Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Besides Asia, Mubadala will also invest in the U.S companies, as Al Mubarak also said, "The U.S. will continue to be a very interesting place to invest in.” Mubadala has no plans to reduce its exposure there, but will continue to grow its portfolioMubadala’s investment strategy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is “on the offense rather than on the defensive”“There are high valuations at the market. If you look at, let’s say, the U.S. market right now, it does not reflect the reality of the macro situation we see in the U.S."

USD 100 Mn ADIO Investment Brings Four Global AgTech Pioneers to Develop Next Gen Agriculture in Abu Dhabi

• AeroFarms®, Madar Farms, RNZ and RDI to establish AgTech R&D and production centres in Abu Dhabi alongside 24,000 farms already thriving in the emirate.


• AED 367 million (USD 100 million) ADIO investment into Abu Dhabi’s AgTech ecosystem will create hundreds of high-skilled jobs over the next three years
  AeroFarms to build the world’s largest indoor vertical farm dedicated to cutting-edge R&D, employing a projected 60+ highly skilled engineers, horticulturists and scientists.


• Madar Farms to construct the world’s first commercial-scale indoor tomato farm using only LED lights.


• RNZ to research, formulate and commercialise new, efficient ‘agri-input’ solutions.


• RDI to conduct research trials using plant-responsive irrigation to conserve water and increase crop yields in desert climates and non-arable land.


• ADIO allocates nearly 40% of its AED 1 billion AgTech incentive programme, launched in 2019 under the Ghadan 21 accelerator programme.

Four agriculture technology (AgTech) pioneers will build new facilities in Abu Dhabi dedicated to developing next generation agriculture in arid and desert agriculture. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has partnered individually with AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ and Responsive Drip Irrigation (RDI) to establish new R&D and production facilities in the emirate, turning sand into farmland, solving complex global agriculture challenges and expanding the profile of local food producers.  

ADIO launched a targeted incentive programme in 2019 to accelerate the growth of the emirate’s burgeoning (AgTech) ecosystem and promote innovation that is locally relevant and globally exportable. ADIO will invest AED 367 million (USD 100 million) in total in the four companies to build facilities in Abu Dhabi, each tasked with solving regional and global challenges.

AeroFarms will focus on next-generation genetic phenotyping and organoleptic research while also tackling the challenges of desert agriculture from its new 8,200-sqm R&D centre in Abu Dhabi. The centre will be the largest indoor vertical farm of its kind in the world and will employ a projected 60+ highly skilled engineers, horticulturists and scientists. 

Madar Farms, a home-grown UAE AgTech innovator, will build the world’s first commercial-scale indoor tomato farm using only LED lights in KIZAD. The company is also set to scale up the commercialisation of microgreen growing to help provide a consistent and predictable local food supply that responsibly uses the region's natural resources.  

RDI is developing an innovative irrigation system to transform water usage in UAE agriculture and conducting research trials to increase crop yields in sandy soils and non-arable land. While locally-based company RNZ will set up a state-of-the-art R&D centre to research, formulate and commercialise ‘agri-input’ solutions that will help to grow more with less.

The competitive ADIO packages of cash and non-cash incentives awarded to the companies include rebates of up to 75% on R&D expenditure upon commercialisation of new solutions developed in Abu Dhabi. The packages are being dispersed as part of ADIO’s AED 1 billion (USD 272 million) AgTech Incentive Programme, established a year ago under the Abu Dhabi Government’s Ghadan 21 Accelerator Programme that is focusing on economic, knowledge and community development across the emirate. 

H.E. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said: “It is amazing to see the ‘desert-turn-green’ before our eyes. Our long-term goal as the Abu Dhabi Government is to not only support the development of Abu Dhabi’s knowledge-economy, but also to support the development of innovation that will contribute to solving challenges of regional and global importance. Our Ghadan 21 accelerator programme was launched just over a year ago and already, we are seeing tremendous progress. Targeted initiatives, like ADIO’s AgTech Incentive Programme, foster innovation in the emirate to solve regional challenges and create highly skilled jobs.”

To date, ADIO has allocated approximately 40% of the AgTech Incentive Programme funding in the first year of the three-year programme. The programme is open to local and international companies looking to establish and grow a presence in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Director General of ADIO, said: “Four global AgTech innovators are joining our mission to turn sand into farmland. In line with Abu Dhabi’s long-term vision to grow the sector, ADIO partners with companies that have innovation at the core to help ensure long-term success. Each of these companies will add to our already established agriculture ecosystem, and benefit from our plentiful land, natural heat, competitive energy prices and access to research universities and skilled talent.” 

AgTech – designated a priority sector by the Abu Dhabi Government – is pioneering remedies to complex global agriculture problems through innovation and R&D investments. The combination of desert climate, sunlight and land availability makes Abu Dhabi a natural location to develop AgTech applied to desert environments. 

There are approximately 24,000 farms currently operating in Abu Dhabi, with many using modern irrigation and hydroponic techniques to grow produce in minimal water. 

AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ and RDI 

USA-headquartered AeroFarms is one of the world’s most successful vertical farming companies and has expertise growing more than 800 different types of crops year round without soil or pesticides, while using up to 95% less water. The company will build an 8,200-sqm R&D centre in Abu Dhabi, the largest of its kind in the world, with dedicated high-tech laboratories focusing on advanced organoleptic research and precision phenotyping, advanced speed breeding, machine vision and machine learning, and robotics, automation and drone technology. ADIO’s incentive package for AeroFarms includes rebates on R&D and land costs. 

AeroFarms’ R&D centre will also play a key role in Abu Dhabi’s AgTech ecosystem by working with local universities on research projects, utilising local subcontractors and tackling problems of agriculture within desert and arid climates. 

David Rosenberg, Co-Founder and CEO of AeroFarms, commented: “We are truly honoured and excited to partner with ADIO and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to build the world's largest indoor vertical farm of its kind, dedicated exclusively for R&D, to help solve some of the most pressing farming problems in the region and agriculture overall. AeroFarms® has been the global leader for controlled environment agriculture since 2004, and we will utilise this state-of-the art R&D centre to conduct cutting-edge research in plant science, vertical farming and automation, accelerating innovation cycles and commercialising products. Our vision has always been to leverage our expertise in plant biology and build on our successful history of collaborating with government, universities, industry and major international companies. We are proud to be a catalyst to help establish the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a global hub for AgTech innovation.”

Madar Farms is a UAE-based AgTech company, established in 2017, growing fresh produce using sustainable methods. Madar Farms is set to build world’s first commercial-scale indoor tomato farm using only LED lights in KIZAD, Abu Dhabi’s industrial free zone. The company has an established R&D facility in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s sustainable urban community that aims to demonstrate the commercial and technical viability of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in the challenging climatic conditions of the UAE. This containerised farming solution will quantify production output measured against environmental inputs (water and electricity). 

Abdulaziz AlMulla, CEO and Co-Founder of Madar Farms, said: “As a UAE-based AgTech company, it is an honour to be recognised and receive this funding from ADIO. It is a milestone moment for everyone involved at Madar Farms. Since the launch of Madar Farms, we have been providing a holistic approach to sustainability and every day we are working towards achieving this mission in the UAE and across the region."