The UAE-India CEPA Council and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have inked a partnership agreement with the aim of fostering cross-border scaling, knowledge exchange, and institutional linkages between the two countries.

The agreement was signed with the Atal Incubation Centre - Mahamana Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship - IM-BHU (AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU), with a focus on providing global exposure and opportunities for startups emerging from the region, reported ANI.

Director of the UAE-India CEPA Council, Ahmed Aljneibi told the news agency that the partnership marks the beginning of greater engagement between students and startup ecosystem in BHU.

"We're looking towards different avenues such as healthcare, technology, finance, logistics, agriculture...any of the vital sectors that are being worked on today. Signing the MoU with BHU is a first step towards getting to know the students here, getting to know the startup ecosystem here in BHU and seeing what kind of problems the students are trying to tackle with their startups. Hopefully, we can find avenues of collaboration with them and with BHU in general," Aljneibi told ANI.

Director and Professor-in-Charge of AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU, Professor PV Rajeev, told the news agency: "An MoU has been signed with Atal Incubation Centre at BHU. The market in the Middle East will now be open for all the startups that come to us. If they have a good idea, we will tie them up with international investors as well...This MoU has been signed so that the people of the startups of this area get a good marketplace."

India and the UAE share historical ties and have maintained regular cultural exchanges both at official and people-to-people levels.

The two nations signed a Cultural Agreement in 1975 which aims to strengthen bilateral cultural activities, read the statement issued by the Indian Embassy in the UAE.

India and the UAE enjoy strong traditional ties which have grown stronger over the years. Resilient Indian diaspora of more than 4 million is an integral part of the growth and development of the UAE’s economy and society.