Watch: First glimpses of India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
Gulf News reports from inside the grand 4-level structure and its themed sections
Dubai: The India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is all set to display the emergence of a New India to the world, officials said as they unveiled the pavilion during the first media tour on Wednesday.
“This is the first big in-person meeting we are looking at after the COVID-19 pandemic to show our dynamism and growth,” India's Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said during the media tour of India Pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020 site.
“We want to give a one-stop look at india. We want to showcase everything from space to other high tech areas and cities on the move...and give a glimpse of the rich culture and heritage of India,” he added.
With India and the UAE launching formal negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement in New Delhi on Wednesday, he said efforts have been launched to further boost the bilateral trade.
The India-UAE bilateral trade, which stood at $60billion, had dipped to around $43billion due to the impact of the pandemic, according to Kapoor.
With the Expo expected to boost the trade and investment opportunities in a big way, he said hopes are back to further push the bilateral trade to $100billion over the next five years.
“This is a huge opportunity to meet with the rest of the world and to showcase the investment opportunities,” he said.
India Innovation Hub
He said India is keen to focus on IT and start ups.
With over 50,000 startups in India we would like to offer them an amazing opportunity here,” said the Ambassador.
For that an “India Innovation Hub” will be set up based at the pavilion. “It will be a mobile platform where young, bright minds from india will engage with their global counterparts on a range of issues...space technologies, robotics etc,” he added.
Cultural events
Touching on the cultural events and festival celebrations at the pavilion, Kapoor said: “We will have big celebrations of our important festivals here. Even the Expo authorities will be marking Diwali celebrations in a very big way.”
There will be several shows related to 75 years of India and the golden jubilee of the UAE, he said.
Given the role of the Indian expat community in the UAE, he said their participation will be integral at the India Pavilion.
“Schools and community groups will be participating in the events throughout the EXPO.”
Being a legacy building, that will remain a permanent structure, he said the India Pavilion will ultimately be used by the expat community with some elements of business, culture, innovation and start ups.
All Indian states will have participation at the pavilion over 26 weeks, said Dilip Chenoy, secretary-general, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
“Five states are taking the lead for two weeks each and the rest are taking one week each,” he added.
Chenoy also said apart from the daily cultural programmes, there will be screenings of award winning movies of various Indian languages also.
AS IT HAPPENED: Top Indian officials have unveiled the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai site. Gulf News, part of the media tour, provides the first glimpses of the majestic four-storey pavilion and what it holds inside. A light and sound show exclusively organised for the media unfolds what visitors can expect on the exterior of the building once the world’s greatest show kicks off on October 1.
A mini model of the world's tallest statue, 'Statue of Unity' created as a tribute to the 'Iron Man of India', Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is also displayed inside the pavilion.
Another model is that of the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the first Hindu temple coming up in Abu Dhabi.
The states pavilion pays tributes to the vibrancy and legacy of Indian states and their potential in the fields of business, innovation and startups.
States of India floor: All the states will be represented one at a time. The first two weeks will be Gujarat, followed by Karnataka and Ladakh.
Second floor has 12 screens. Thematic sectors will bring to the world what India has to offer in various sectors. "The theme for the second floor is ‘never-ending opportunities’. It is meant for the world to see the unlimited business opportunities that India has to offer through the sectors showcased", said Gunveena Chadha, Assistant Secretary General, India pavilion.
The India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has announced the preliminary calendar of events to be held on the inaugural day and in the first month of the expo that begins on October 1.
From dance, drama and other cultural shows to food festivals, film festivals, panel discussions, business meetings, and science and research events, a variety of events have been lined up to enthrall the visitors to the India Pavilion. Read more
Located in the Opportunity District, the India Pavilion will celebrate 75 years of independence with themed sections across four levels. The façade of the building is covered in 600 kinetic blocks, giving it a colourful, mobile appearance, with an Indian flag standing tall near the entrance. Its neighbouring two-storey plaza on the side has a circular roof modelled after the blue ‘chakra’ found on the country’s flag, the 24-spoked wheel first proposed by Mahatma Gandhi symbolising ‘Wheel of the Law’. Click here to see more photos
On September 2, 2021, India's Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam briefed the media from Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi, on India’s upcoming participation at Expo 2020 Dubai. Addressing online and media persons at the table, Subrahmanyam announced the completion of one of the largest country pavilions on site and expressed his gratitude to the planning parties involved, including industry partner FICCI and construction partner NBCC.
“We are among the few who are building a permanent [pavilion] at Expo 2020 Dubai,” he told media. “So, there will be an Indian footprint in Dubai forever. If you look at the software that is going into it, everybody entering the India Pavilion will be lost for three to six hours.” Read more
India’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will have a new look. The facade of the main building has been tweaked to give a modern touch. When the world’s biggest party finally kicks off in October in Dubai, India’s 4,800 sqm national pavilion will showcase new technology, and its “5 Ts”.
Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor told Gulf News: “It will look different from the outside when completed.” “A lot of things will be digital projection…The outer surface will be a special one, which will make it convenient for projections,” he said without elaborating on the technology. Read more
The India Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai starting October 1 is set to showcase a resurgent India’s march to becoming a $5 trillion economy in the post-covid world.
The Pavilion which is a technology marvel will not only capture the vibrant Indian culture and its past but also the capabilities and opportunities that it presents as a global economic hub to the domestic as well as the foreign investors. Read more
Dubai is mere days away from staging its universal exposition on October 1, 2021. If you are scrambling to book your tickets to witness history in the making, here is a rundown of all the ways you can secure your access to Expo 2020 Dubai.
Tickets to the show, starting from Dh95, can be easily booked online through the official website (www.expo2020dubai.com) or via 2,500-plus Authorised Ticket Resellers – well-known vendors such as Zoom convenience stores have passes up for sale as well. Before you whip your card out, just know that you could be eligible for a free entry. Read more