Qualified Foreign Investor (QFI), an investment channel opened by the government of India in the beginning of this year, offers nationals from 45 countries, including the UAE and other GCC countries, to invest in Indian equities and debt instruments. This move is widely believed to have the potential to attract billions of dollars into India, which is currently among the world's top three investment destinations.
This was announced yesterday at an international seminar that was held at Dubai World Trade Center.
Indian financial and equity market experts who spoke on the occasion said that conservative estimates show that investments into Indian equities, bonds and mutual funds by foreign nationals under QFI route could cross the $ 10 billion mark in two years.
"The UAE and India share extensive trade and commercial bonds. They are also each other's biggest trade partners. The UAE, being a regional trade and investment hub is an ideal location to promote this new initiative," said Sanjay Verma, consul general of India, while inaugurating the seminar, which had participants from over 14 nationalities. He also congratulated IBMC for launching the service.
Commenting on the rationale of holding the international seminar and the QFI regime, Hazza Mohammed Al-Dhaheri, chairman and MD, IBMC Group & JRG International, said Dubai, being the business hub of the region offered a vantage point to launch the service.
The event also marked awarding the first QFI account to Hazza Mohammed Al-Dhaheri by S. Rengarajan, CEO, IL&FS Securities Services Ltd.
"I am happy to be the first Emarati with a QFI account," Hazza Al-Dhaheri told Arab News.
"The new investment route provides direct access to the Indian equity and debt markets for foreign nationals, groups or associations, allowing a wider global investor base to partake the benefits of the Indian growth story," said Sajith Kumar P.K., CEO and director, IBMC Group & JRG International while addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the seminar.
"Foreign investments into Indian stocks and debt instruments were earlier limited to pension funds and FIIS (Foreign Institutional Investors) and the new regime opens up a path-breaking alternative to global investors." Kumar added.
He said QFI has the potential to match or even overtake the current volume of FII investment volumes into the Indian markets in the next two to three years. Overseas investments into Indian stock markets in 2012 has touched $ 12 billion so far including more than $ 1 billion in August this year alone.
QFI holds a lot of potential for Indian markets. There is keen global interest in the resilience of our economy.
Traditionally driven by FIIs and NRIs, foreign capital inflows have gained significant importance and impact local market sentiments. QFIs would broad base the capital flow and further deepen liquidity for Indian markets, said Ashishkumar Chauhan, CEO Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
Speaking at the seminar, P.S. Reddy, CEO & MD, Central Depository Services (India) Ltd., said: "India's growth story is to continue in the next few decades. It needs huge investment support both from internal and external sources. QFI route is opened up for those who want to have the benefit of India's growth. There is no better region than Gulf region, which is more inclined toward India as an investment destination."
Rangarajan of ILFS said they are glad to be offering QDP services to QFIs in the Middle East through the IBMC Group. "We are sure that the professional competence and service-oriented approach of ISSL & other institutions involved would definitely make investments in India through QFI route a pleasant experience," he added.
India's QFI draws GCC investors in equities
India's QFI draws GCC investors in equities
First EU–Saudi roundtable on critical raw materials reflects shared policy commitment
RIYADH: The EU–Saudi Arabia Business and Investment Dialogue on Advancing Critical Raw Materials Value Chains, held in Riyadh as part of the Future Minerals Forum, brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to advance strategic cooperation across critical raw materials value chains.
Organized under a Team Europe approach by the EU–GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project, in coordination with the EU Delegation to Saudi Arabia, the European Chamber of Commerce in the Kingdom and in close cooperation with FMF, the dialogue provided a high-level platform to explore European actions under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and ResourceEU alongside the Kingdom’s aspirations for minerals, industrial, and investment priorities.
This is in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and broader regional ambitions across the GCC, MENA, and Africa.
ResourceEU is the EU’s new strategic action plan, launched in late 2025, to secure a reliable supply of critical raw materials like lithium, rare earths, and cobalt, reducing dependency on single suppliers, such as China, by boosting domestic extraction, processing, recycling, stockpiling, and strategic partnerships with resource-rich nations.
The first ever EU–Saudi roundtable on critical raw materials was opened by the bloc’s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Christophe Farnaud, together with Saudi Deputy Minister for Mining Development Turki Al-Babtain, turning policy alignment into concrete cooperation.
Farnaud underlined the central role of international cooperation in the implementation of the EU’s critical raw materials policy framework.
“As the European Union advances the implementation of its Critical Raw Materials policy, international cooperation is indispensable to building secure, diversified, and sustainable value chains. Saudi Arabia is a key partner in this effort. This dialogue reflects our shared commitment to translate policy alignment into concrete business and investment cooperation that supports the green and digital transitions,” said the ambassador.
Discussions focused on strengthening resilient, diversified, and responsible CRM supply chains that are essential to the green and digital transitions.
Participants explored concrete opportunities for EU–Saudi cooperation across the full value chain, including exploration, mining, and processing and refining, as well as recycling, downstream manufacturing, and the mobilization of private investment and sustainable finance, underpinned by high environmental, social, and governance standards.
From the Saudi side, the dialogue was framed as a key contribution to the Kingdom’s industrial transformation and long-term economic diversification agenda under Vision 2030, with a strong focus on responsible resource development and global market integration.
“Developing globally competitive mineral hubs and sustainable value chains is a central pillar of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s industrial transformation. Our engagement with the European Union through this dialogue to strengthen upstream and downstream integration, attract high-quality investment, and advance responsible mining and processing. Enhanced cooperation with the EU, capitalizing on the demand dynamics of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, will be key to delivering long-term value for both sides,” said Al-Babtain.
Valere Moutarlier, deputy director-general for European industry decarbonization, and directorate-general for the internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs at European Commission, said the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and ResourceEU provided a clear framework to strengthen Europe’s resilience while deepening its cooperation with international partners.
“Cooperation with Saudi Arabia is essential to advancing secure, sustainable, and diversified critical raw materials value chains. Dialogues such as this play a key role in translating policy ambitions into concrete industrial and investment cooperation,” she added.
