India Pavilion at Dubai Expo to showcase talent, trade, tradition, tourism, technology

INTERNATIONAL DESK: At Expo 2020 Dubai, the world’s biggest trade and commerce bash, there is a huge buzz about India. To amplify the ‘country to watch out for’ perception at the Expo that started on Thursday with a riot of colours and spectacle, India has deployed the largest number of participants and has a state-of-the-art 8,750 square metre pavilion.

The message is loud and clear: India is out to grab the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore solutions to challenges that impede its growth.

The government knows that, beneath the glitz of 60 odd cultural events every day at the Expo, the race for attention, business, investment and trade will be intense over the next six months. There are 192 participating countries and 200 entities that have put up pavilions.

CONFLUENCE OF ANCIENT AND FUTURE INDIA

Conceived as a hi-tech structure, the India Pavilion is a civilisational confluence of ancient India and future India. The India Pavilion is a massive four-floor structure designed to enthrall anyone who walks in with India’s popular exports including yoga, ayurveda, literature, arts, heritage, cuisine and space technology.

But the exterior of the pavilion is the real showstopper. The innovative facade is made of 600 individual kinetic blocks, each of which can turn on its own axis to construct a picture based on multiple themes. The installation is a manifestation of the overarching theme of ‘India on the move’ and ‘India the diverse’.

While the facade on two sides of the pavilion will have the face of Mahatma Gandhi, the metamorphosing front will depict the “constant change” and “timeless endurance” in the 75-year-old journey of the world’s largest democracy.

The zones within the pavilion are identified based on 11 primary themes – Climate and Biodiversity, Space, Urban and Rural Development, Tolerance and Inclusivity, Golden Jubilee, Knowledge and Learning, Travel and Connectivity, Global Goals, Health and Wellness, Food Agriculture and Livelihoods and Water.

TECHNOLOGY AND TRADE

On the ground floor of the India Pavilion, ‘India the modern’ is on display on the left. This includes the country’s knowledge and technological developments, from Mangalyaan to Chandrayaan. On the right, there are displays about India’s ancient wisdom like yoga and Ayurveda.

The next floor showcases ‘India: The never ending opportunity’ with a focus on business, trade and commerce. There is a section on India-UAE ties.

Another floor has been dedicated to the achievements and plans of Indian states. With more than half the Indian states participating, the message being sent out is that reforms and policymaking for change have travelled deep into India’s administrative structure.

A logo has been specially designed to rebrand India’s image at Expo 2020. The logo consists of the chakra (wheel), which reflects strength and progressive movement. Its colours come from the Indian tricolour.

IMPORTANCE OF INDIA PAVILION

Viewing it as a long-term strategic investment, 490 crore rupees has been spent on the India Pavilion.

BVR Subrahmanyam, secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said, “We are among the few [countries] that have permanent pavilions. It will be a footprint in Dubai forever, even after this over, and is a permanent asset for India in a major trading nation. Dubai is good for business, India is open for business. It’s a nice confluence.”

Dikshu Kukreja of CP Kukreja Architects said, “We conceived of the pavilion as an asset beyond the expo. The design of the entire pavilion is so flexible that each floor can be used for offices and then can be turned back into a space for trade or a cultural event.”

The government has also planned that festivals like Holi and Diwali will be celebrated at the India Pavilion. Since the newly developed expo site is going to turn into a city of the future, India’s presence there will give it a head start.

INDIA-UAE TIES

With over 35 lakh expatriate Indians settled or working in the UAE, the pavilion signals the government’s effort to safeguard their interests. The UAE is also one of India’s largest trade partners and India is hoping for a big boost in exports and projects for Indian companies in the country.

The Indian diaspora has been present in UAE for more than half a century. To keep the connect alive, the India Pavilion will have digital projections of stories of Indian expats who have made a difference in the UAE. These include doctors, lawyers, artists and writers.

In a recent press statement, Ambassador of India to UAE Pavan Kapoor said, “The India Pavilion will play a key role in making significant progress in several existing areas of cooperation between India and the UAE in addition to exploring new opportunities.”

The pavilion’s potential to attract footfall spurred HSBC to enter a partnership as a corporate sponsor for the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. This was done only days before the pavilion’s inauguration by commerce minister Piyush Goyal.

CHINESE PAVILION

Diagonally across India’s pavilion stands the Chinese pavilion. It is one of the largest at the expo and reflects the country’s status as UAEs’ largest trade partner along with the USA. The theme of the pavilion is “Building a community with a shared future for mankind”.

It vividly showcases China’s culture and longstanding history by artistically integrating Chinese elements with modern technologies. At 4,636 square metre, the Chinese pavilion is smaller than the Indian pavilion. China is trying to market its advancements in three areas: 5G, artificial intelligence and smart travel.

Meanwhile, BVR Subrahmanyam, secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said, “India’s resilient fight against Covid-19 and its emergence as a global business hub presenting huge opportunities for the world will be the overarching themes of India’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai.” (India Today)