The UAE has the ability to defy uncertainty by strengthening its bond with the international community, make them part of its development and it will ride out the current situation faster than expected, said Satish Kumar Sivan, Indian Consul General, Dubai and Northern Emirates.
Speaking at an event of the Dubai Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) – the largest professional organisation in the UAE, he said: “India has been an integral part of the UAE. Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) form around 40 per cent of the UAE who call the country their home. That’s why NRIs are one of the few communities that are staying back in the middle of the regional conflict as they feel at home in the UAE,” Sivan told more than 500 accounting professionals attending a gathering in Dubai.
“Adversity is not new to Dubai or the UAE. The country boldly faced the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, the COVID-19 pandemic and came back strong from every crisis. This time also the country will bounce back from the current situation faster than one could think.”
He said when the conflict broke out on February 28, the Indian Consulate and Indian Embassy reached out to the community.
“When we wanted to engage with the community, the first group of professionals that came to our mind was the Chartered Accountants, who have a better understanding of the situation than others,” Sivan said. “From you, we have received some valuable inputs that we have passed on to the Government. In time of crisis it is the accounting professions who know how to navigate out of the situation.”
ICAI, Dubai Chapter, has recently elected its new Managing Committee for the 2026–2027 term to be led by Rishi Chawla, the new Chairman. Amit Khaitan is the Vice Chairman, Aashna Mulgaonkar as Secretary, and Sanjay Gagarani as Treasurer.
Chawla said: “The role of the accounting professionals are becoming crucial, especially in an evolving world with so much uncertainty and disruptions. Their role is becoming central to the survival of businesses as they are the financial engineers who know how to lead organisations out of crisis. That’s why, we have undertaken a number of steps to communicate with our members and the industry to share knowledge, adopt technology in order to lead through uncertainty.”
With more than 3,200 members, ICAI Dubai Chapter is the largest business group in the UAE. Established in 1982, it is also the largest, most active and award-winning chapter among the 54 overseas chapters of ICAI. It has registered a phenomenal growth in membership has exceeded 3,200 members who represent more than 1,550 multinationals and other companies. - TradeArabia News Service
