Author: Dr Issac PJ

[Editor’s Note: Follow the media live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.]India’s rupee is rapidly approaching a historic psychological threshold, with currency markets increasingly betting that the battered unit could breach the Rs100-per-dollar mark if the Middle East conflict persists and oil prices remain elevated.The rupee, which has already weakened nearly six per cent since the eruption of the US-Israel-Iran conflict in late February, briefly hovered near the 97 level this week despite heavy intervention by the Reserve Bank of India. Currency traders and economists now believe the question is no longer whether the rupee…

The UAE has consolidated its position as the Middle East’s largest electric vehicle market for the second consecutive year, underlining the country’s rapid transition toward sustainable mobility and clean transportation as it accelerates efforts to build a low-carbon economy.According to the latest Global EV Outlook 2026 report by the International Energy Agency, the UAE accounted for nearly 50 per cent of all electric vehicle sales in the Middle East in 2025, reflecting strong consumer demand, supportive government policies and massive investments in charging infrastructure.The milestone comes as the UAE intensifies its drive to become a regional hub for future mobility…

The UAE has taken another major step in its drive to become a global hub for digital finance after IHC executed a Dh110 million ($30 million) institutional transaction using the DDSC stablecoin on ADI Chain, one of the largest such transactions in the region.The transaction is being viewed as a significant validation of the UAE’s fast-evolving digital asset ecosystem and blockchain-based financial infrastructure, particularly following the recent approval by the Central Bank of the UAE for the launch of DDSC.Executed on ADI Chain — an institutional Layer-2 blockchain developed by the ADI Foundation — the deal demonstrated the operational readiness,…

Massive investments in artificial intelligence, sovereign digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and fintech are transforming the UAE into one of the world’s fastest-growing innovation ecosystems and a strategic bridge between the Global South and the West. The UAE is accelerating one of the world’s boldest economic reinventions, rapidly transforming itself from a hydrocarbon-powered economy into a global innovation superhub driven by artificial intelligence, advanced computing, robotics, digital finance and deep technology. What distinguishes the UAE’s transition is not merely the scale of investment but the speed and coordination with which policy, capital, infrastructure and talent are being aligned around a single…

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UAE on May 14 on his eighth visit since taking office in 2014, as the two nations moved to further strengthen one of the world’s fastest-growing strategic and economic partnerships amid mounting geopolitical uncertainty in the Gulf.The visit, the first leg of Modi’s six-day, five-nation diplomatic tour, came at a critical moment marked by escalating tensions involving Iran, Israel and the US, rising concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, and increasing urgency among major economies to secure resilient energy and trade corridors.Against this backdrop, the UAE and India focused…

Global oil markets are preparing for a prolonged period of elevated prices and volatility as fears of sustained supply disruptions in the Middle East continue to overshadow hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough between the United States and Iran. A new Bloomberg Intelligence survey of 126 asset managers and energy strategists showed that traders increasingly expect crude prices to remain structurally high over the next 12 months, with Brent crude projected to average between $81 and $100 a barrel as war-related risks become embedded into long-term market expectations. The findings underscore mounting concerns that the closure and disruption around the Strait…

The GCC insurance industry is expected to maintain strong growth momentum over the next five years despite mounting geopolitical tensions, volatile oil prices and rising claims costs, with the UAE emerging as one of the region’s key growth engines driven by population expansion, digital transformation and surging demand for health, cyber and specialty insurance products.A new report released by Dubai-based investment banking advisory firm Alpen Capital forecasts GCC gross written premiums (GWP) to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.9 per cent between 2025 and 2030, reaching $61.8 billion.The non-life segment is projected to remain the dominant driver…

Abu Dhabi’s property market is emerging as one of the UAE’s strongest real estate growth stories, with soaring transaction volumes, double-digit rental gains and surging demand for premium office space reinforcing the capital’s rise as a preferred destination for investors, multinational companies and high-net-worth residents. The strong momentum in the capital comes as the broader UAE property market begins transitioning from the explosive post-pandemic boom of 2025 into a more balanced and mature growth cycle, supported by infrastructure spending, economic diversification and sustained population growth despite mounting regional geopolitical tensions.According to the latest Q1 2026 market assessment released by Colliers, Abu…

Dubai’s property market is showing signs of transitioning from a rapid-growth cycle into a more mature and stabilised phase, supported by strong economic fundamentals, infrastructure investment and sustained buyer confidence, even as more investors expect prices to soften in the coming months.Fresh market data released by leading property consultancies and property portal propertyfinder.ae indicates that while residential sales and rental growth remain positive, the pace of expansion is moderating across several segments as supply rises sharply and buyers become increasingly selective.The latest quarterly market assessments show Dubai crossed another key supply milestone during the first quarter of 2026, with apartment…

The UAE has further strengthened its reputation as one of the world’s most agile and future-ready governments after securing a place among the world’s top 10 most effective administrations in the 2026 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), reinforcing the country’s emergence as a global benchmark for governance, innovation, and institutional efficiency.The latest ranking reflects the UAE’s sustained push to build a government model centred on speed, adaptability, digital transformation, and long-term strategic planning as the country accelerates efforts to achieve the ambitions of the “We the UAE 2031” vision.Published annually by the Chandler Institute of Governance, the index evaluates 133…