In a significant development for financial collaboration, the Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC Dubai) hosted Mr. Sundararaman Ramamurthy, Managing Director and CEO of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), for the inaugural UAE-India Capital Connect Series. This event highlights a renewed commitment to enhancing economic ties between the UAE and India.

The event attracted a diverse group of participants, including prominent investors, institutional stakeholders, students, and professionals. It featured high-level sessions aimed at strengthening capital market connections and unlocking new growth avenues between the two economies.

Mr. Siddharth Balachandran, Chairman of IBPC Dubai, remarked that this event marked a monumental achievement. He noted the active participation of over 10 community associations, which showcased unity in diversity. As India aims to become a USD 30 trillion economy by 2045, he stressed the importance of forums like this for collaborative progress.

In his keynote address, Mr. Ramamurthy provided insights into the evolution of India’s capital market from the establishment of BSE in 1875 to its current status as a digital marketplace. He highlighted that the reforms initiated in 1992 transformed Indian markets from merely facilitating trades to becoming catalysts for capital formation, job creation, and trust-building. Today, India boasts over 200 million mutual fund investors and 11,000 foreign portfolio investors, positioning it as a resilient, consumption-driven economy poised for global leadership.

Mr. Ramamurthy emphasized BSE’s technological advancements, noting its capacity to handle 1.4 million order messages per second, which is expected to increase to 2 million. He described India’s financial infrastructure as robust, capable of navigating turbulent geopolitical waters. He encouraged Indian expatriates not just to remit money but to reinvest in India through structured avenues like the BSE.

His Excellency Satish Sivan, the Consul General of India in Dubai, praised the initiative as a strategic enhancement of India-UAE economic cooperation, reinforcing the long-standing partnership between the two nations.

Throughout the day, multiple sessions provided tailored insights to various audiences, emphasizing the importance of financial literacy, transparent capital access, and a unified vision for economic growth between India and the UAE. Mr. Balachandran added that such events demonstrate their commitment to supporting India-UAE trade ambitions while remaining connected to their roots.

With India recently becoming the world’s fifth-largest economy and the UAE recognized as a capital gateway, the UAE-India Capital Connect Series underscores IBPC Dubai’s dedication to fostering strong people-to-market channels with real economic impact.

Mr. Ramamurthy also highlighted opportunities in India’s underrepresented SME sector, where only 1,000 out of 60 million small and medium enterprises are listed. He encouraged UAE investors to explore new financial instruments, including recently launched indices targeted at mutual funds and the insurance sector.

The day concluded with speeches from Dr. Sahitya Chaturvedi, Secretary General of IBPC, and Mr. Skandan Mahalingam, Governor of IBPC Dubai, followed by a Q&A session and a vote of thanks by Mr. Sunil Sinha, Vice Chairman of IBPC Dubai.