I would like to thank His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi the Ruler of Sharjah, for the warm welcome accorded to me in the Emirate of Sharjah. Let me tell you that I was impressed by your foresight and the interest you are taking to develop this region. It is remarkable. It is a privilege for me to be the first President of India to make an official visit to the Emirate of Sharjah. I am happy to be here to inaugurate the India Trade and Exhibition Centre, which I hope will act as a catalyst for promotion of trade and economic links between India and the UAE.

This centre reflects the visionary policies of the Ruler of Sharjah, to expand trade and economic links with other countries, including India. The Emirate of Sharjah is known for its historical links with India. It has a rich history, heritage and culture. Very aptly, it was named as the cultural capital of the Arab world in 1998 by UNESCO, due to its eclectic mix of museums, heritage preservation and traditional souks and it became a gateway of this region, long before oil was discovered.

The civilizational and cultural links between India and the Gulf date back to many centuries. Many Arab Islamic scholars from the 8th Century A.D. documented Indo-Arab cultural links, including Indian contributions to Arab thought and culture. Translations of Indian works were undertaken, leading to synthesis of ideas between the two civilizations.

Trade links constituted the bedrock of Indo-Arab links in the ancient world, and cultural interaction was a consequence of the vibrant trade links. Even in the contemporary world, trade is the cornerstone of our links with this region. The Emirate of Sharjah, due to its geographical advantage, stands in the forefront of promoting economic and trade links between India and the region.

Today, India and the UAE with an annual trade turnover of 43 billion US Dollars for the year 2009-2010 are among the leading trade partners for each other. There are complementarities in our trade relations and hence, there is opportunity to expand the volume of trade considerably in the coming years. Equally important is the potential for mutual investments by the two countries. We need to explore every avenue to realize this potential, by strengthening promotional efforts.

By holding industry and state specific exhibitions for an extended period of time, and providing office space to aspiring exporters from India, this Centre will be able to meet the needs of SME's and other trade bodies. I also urge the Centre to work in close cooperation with the ASSOCHAM, FICCI, CII and other renowned export promotion organizations in India, to achieve its objectives. Sharjah, and the other Emirates in the UAE, with their excellent infrastructure and trade and investment friendly policies, provide ample opportunities for taking India - UAE economic relations to new heights. Agriculture is also a very important field in which you can have co-operation. Food processing is also very important. Think of these new areas. In India agriculture is the biggest private business. In India 40 percent of farming activity is dryland farming. We want to green our arid areas. The UAE also wants to go green, so let us work together.

I congratulate the Emirate of Sharjah and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce for providing this elegant building to house the India Trade and Economic Centre. I declare this Centre open.

Thank you.