The Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ), Sharjah International Airport Free Zone (Saif Zone), Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZ) and Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ) are among the several UAE companies represented at the Free Trade Expo being held in New Delhi.

According to HFZ director general Rashid Al Leem, relations between India and the Gulf, particularly the UAE, are vibrant and Indian businessmen could take advantage of the free zones there to export their goods and services to other countries in the region.

Foreign investment in the Gulf region was going up due to the reconstruction of Iraq, and India could also take advantage of this requirement through these zones.  He said that it was easy for the Indians and Arabs to work together due to the historical friendship and trade ties, pointing out that many Iraqi businessmen were shopping for goods in the UAE markets.

Mohamed Albanna, manager Asia and Pacific of Jafz Authority, echoed the sentiment and said that he was keen for more Indian companies with expertise in construction.

"With the expectation of stabilisation in Iraq, we are seeing a lot of international companies wanting to set up base in our free zone. That is why we are here to attract more Indian companies from different sectors, particularly construction," he said adding that Iraqi business centre had also been set up in Jebel Ali to help link Indian investors with big projects in Iraq.

Indians account for 370 of the 2,600 units in Jebel Ali.  Shaikh Saqer Al Qasimi, Saif Zone deputy director-general, said that most of the international companies were hesitant to get into Iraq due to the situation there. So the trade has to be done through other countries in the region.  Fujairah Free Zone Director General Sharief Habib Al-Awadhi said that "India is a major market and a partner of the Gulf countries" and that Indian firms accounted for 64 per cent of the 320 companies operating there.  "We count on the services and skills of Indians for our development," he said adding that he was planning on roadshows at various places in India in April or May to attract Indian investment.

Al-Awadhi, who attended the high-level AGCC-India industrial conference in Mumbai earlier this week, said that the two-way economic relations between the AGCC states and India were bound to go up substantially.  Besides the AGCC secretary general and trade and commerce ministers from the six AGCC states, the conference was attended by about 150 leading businessmen from the Gulf and about 300 from India.