On September 2, 2021, 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.”
Around 600 kinetic blocks on the four-storey building will move independently, which according to the Commerce Secretary was one of the most challenging parts of the construction to achieve. With its technologically innovative design, the pavilion aims to showcase India’s 75th year of independence, along with its past, present and future, namely the country’s ambitions.
Cultural shows will delight visitors at the India Pavilion’s amphitheatre, where “big names”, fashion shows showing off authentic Indian fabric, performing artists and movie stars will make their presence known. Even school students are set to be performing on stage.
Large-scale events such as the country-wide famous ‘Khadi Fashion Show’ are to be held in external venues supplied by the Expo, suitable for a bigger audience. Another event highlighted during the brief was the Gandhi Jayanti (the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi) on October 2, 2021, just one day after the world fair opening.
On the ground floor, models of key heritage buildings, including Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh, will deck the space under the name of ‘Endless colours of India’, a teaser of sorts for visitors who would want to travel to the South Asian country.
Subrahmanyam said that Expo 2020 is expected to raise India’s profile globally and reap benefits for the country, adding “it will be phenomenal”.
All Indian states are on board for the six-month fair, some participating in renewable energy discussions and others in agri-exports. This includes departments exhibiting in tandem with Expo’s ten Theme Weeks and an inclusive corporate portfolio ranging from “top class companies to start ups”.
The India Pavilion is set to showcase a resurgent India’s march to becoming a $5 trillion (Dh18 trillion) economy in the post-COVID world, presenting as a global economic hub to the domestic as well as foreign investors.
- The writer is an intern with Gulf News.
