Singer Suchetha Satish gives Vande Mataram an Arabic verse as Dubai seals India AI tech pact
Dubai’s Indian expatriate community made headlines on two fronts this week: a Guinness record-holding singer from Kerala unveiled a rendition of Vande Mataram that closes with an Arabic verse penned by an Emirati poet, and Dubai Chambers signed a landmark accord with India’s NASSCOM to channel Indian agentic AI companies into the emirate. Together the stories reflect the cultural and commercial depth of ties binding Dubai’s largest expatriate group to their adopted city.
🪔 Vande Mataram in Eight Languages, Closing in Arabic
Dubai-based Indian singer Suchetha Satish has released a multilingual rendition of Vande Mataram titled “Vande Mataram Beyond Borders,” spanning seven Indian languages before closing with a verse in Arabic, marking the 150th anniversary of the iconic national song. The project was commissioned by the Indian People Forum, a community organisation representing Indian expatriates in the UAE, who invited Suchetha specifically to create a rendition honouring the song’s sesquicentennial. Suchetha, a university student originally from the south Indian state of Kerala who lives in Dubai, is a Guinness World Record holder for the most languages sung in a single concert. The Arabic verse woven into her eight-language rendition was composed by an Emirati poet, making the collaboration a genuine cross-cultural bridge between the Indian expatriate community and the UAE. Suchetha told Gulf News that she wanted to honour both the linguistic diversity of India and the idea that music does not recognise borders. “That thinking is what pushed me to look beyond Indian languages altogether and bring in Arabic, the mother tongue of our second home, for the first time,” she said. The release arrived before a fresh political controversy erupted in India over later verses of Vande Mataram and their religious imagery, even as the Indian government leads a year-long commemoration of the song’s anniversary. The full version of Vande Mataram was sung at official flag-hoisting ceremonies during India’s 80th Independence Day on August 15, including at Indian diplomatic missions across the UAE, giving Suchetha’s project an added layer of relevance for the community. [2]
🏢 Dubai Chambers and NASSCOM Formalise Agentic AI Partnership
Dubai Chambers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Association of Software and Service Companies, known as NASSCOM, to advance cooperation in Agentic AI and support the growth and expansion of Indian companies specialising in the technology from Dubai. The agreement seeks to strengthen collaboration between the Agentic AI ecosystems of Dubai and India by fostering strategic partnerships, facilitating knowledge exchange, and launching joint initiatives focused on emerging technologies. Under the MoU, both parties will work to connect leading Indian companies specialising in Agentic AI and deeptech with business, investment, and partnership opportunities in Dubai, thereby supporting their regional and international expansion. The cooperation framework also covers the organisation of specialised business events and initiatives designed to increase engagement between companies, investors, and entrepreneurs in both markets. NASSCOM represents India’s technology sector, valued at approximately US15 billion, and has more than 3,500 member companies ranging from startups to multinational corporations. His Excellency Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, said: “Dubai’s efforts to support the private sector’s transition towards Agentic AI represent a pioneering global initiative to strengthen the competitiveness of the business community.” The MoU builds on institutional groundwork laid in June, when Dubai Chambers established an Executive Committee for Agentic AI tasked with approving specialised training programmes and accelerating the adoption of the technology across business sectors throughout the emirate. [6]
🏢 Indian AI Firms Get Fresh Route to Scale from Dubai
Indian companies specialising in Agentic AI and deeptech are set to receive expanded support to establish and grow their operations from Dubai following a new agreement between Dubai Chambers and India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies. The Memorandum of Understanding is designed to connect participating Indian firms with business opportunities in Dubai while building closer institutional links between the Agentic AI ecosystems of the UAE and India. Under the partnership, companies could gain access to specialised business events and joint programmes that bring together businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs from both markets, opening routes to capital and new commercial relationships. Dubai Chambers and NASSCOM will jointly develop strategic partnerships between stakeholders in Dubai and India, share knowledge and expertise, and launch dedicated initiatives focused on Agentic AI development and deployment. The agreement specifically targets Indian companies working in Agentic AI and deeptech that want to establish or expand a presence in the region, positioning Dubai as a hub from which they can reach markets across the Middle East and beyond. The partnership represents a formal commitment to deepening bilateral technology ties between the UAE and India at a time when Agentic AI has emerged as a key focus area for both governments and private sectors. Gulf News reported the accord as opening a “fresh route” for Indian AI firms seeking an international base with strong connectivity to global investors and partners. [7]
Sources: [2] Gulf News · [6] Emirates 24|7 · [7] Gulf News