The UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC) and the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote startup growth, global market access, and cross-border collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and India.
The MoU was signed with the Atal Incubation Centre – Mahamana Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Institute of Management at BHU (AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU). The agreement seeks to create a strong foundation for knowledge exchange, institutional partnerships, and startup scaling, offering Indian startups a pathway into global markets, particularly the UAE.
The initiative forms part of the UAE-India CEPA Startup Series and was launched at a Startup Showcase held in Varanasi, India’s cultural capital. The event was co-hosted by UICC and AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU and brought together student entrepreneurs, startup founders, and academic leaders.
Ahmed Aljneibi, Director of the UAE-India CEPA Council, described the agreement as a first step in building stronger links with India’s emerging innovation hubs.
Ahmed Aljneibi Director- UAE-India CEPA Council
“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.”
The partnership is a direct result of the UAE’s broader strategy to implement the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India, using entrepreneurship as a platform to expand mutual economic benefits and promote sustainable growth.
Professor P.V. Rajeev, Director and Professor-in-Charge of AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU, welcomed the MoU as a transformational development for the local startup ecosystem, and said that, “An MoU with UAE-India CEPA Council 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 wel. This MoU has been signed so that the people of the startups of this area get a good marketplace.”
The Varanasi Startup Showcase served as a platform to highlight the UAE’s commitment to inclusive innovation diplomacy, reaching beyond Tier 1 cities and engaging deeply with India’s rising entrepreneurial regions. The event featured a trailer of the CEPA Startup Series, outlining opportunities such as UAE business licensing fast-tracks, incubation support, mentorship, and direct access to UAE-based investors.
In his keynote address, Aljneibi emphasized the importance of the initiative in providing real opportunities for Indian startups and said that the UAE-India CEPA Startup Series is about more than opportunity; it’s about access, ambition, and acceleration. Through this initiative, The UAE-India CEPA Council is positioning the UAE as an international scale-up launchpad for India’s most promising next-generation ventures, particularly those emerging from Tier 2 and Tier 3 innovation hubs.
Image Via: UAE-India CEPA Council | Cropped by GBN
The collaboration is aligned with the UAE’s efforts to enhance economic integration, youth empowerment, and technological cooperation with strategic partners. The CEPA with India, signedin 2022, laid the groundwork for such initiatives by removing trade barriers, facilitating investments, and promoting innovation exchange.
Professor Rajeev noted the long-term impact of the partnership on regional entrepreneurship. He added that this collaboration with the UAE-India CEPA Council marks a pivotal moment for our institution and the broader startup community in Varanasi. By connecting young innovators with international opportunities, particularly in the UAE, we are opening doors for knowledge exchange, global mentorship, and cross-border scaling, he added.
The event concluded with a dynamic Q&A session led by Aljneibi, during which students and incubation professionals engaged in discussions around program eligibility, application processes, and the UAE’s role as a gateway to international markets.
The initiative represents a forward-looking approach to economic diplomacy, leveraging youth innovation to strengthen bilateral ties and position the UAE as a partner of choice for India’s next wave of entrepreneurs. The MoU between UAE-India CEPA Council and BHU is expected to further accelerate regional startup growth and foster a new era of UAE-India cooperation in innovation and enterprise.
