India all set for grand showcasing at Dubai Expo 2020

Dubai Expo 2020, which was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is all set to start from Friday.

Dubai Expo 2020 will be the world's second biggest (after Tokyo Olympics) event since the beginning of the ongoing pandemic and is expected to attract millions of visitors from across the globe.

From India, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal is scheduled to inaugurate the country's pavilion on Thursday. The India Pavilion is the largest one. It will display the emergence of a New India.

Coinciding with India's celebrations of Amrut Mahotsav, 75 years of Independence, Expo 2020 will be a significant platform for India to showcase its vibrant culture and tremendous growth opportunities.

Among the 192 participating countries, India will have the biggest pavilion in the expo. Fifteen states and nine central ministries from India are participating in this six-month-long expo, which will be ending on March 31, 2022.

Gujarat will be the first state to showcase its product in India Pavilion followed by Karnataka, Ladakh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. These states will exhibit their culture, food and business opportunities.

Central ministries like Ministry of AYUSH, Ministry of Tourism, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of Space, Ministry of Renewable Energy, Department of Pharmaceuticals and Ministry of Textiles are also among the various ministries and departments participating in the event.

A large number of Indian conglomerates and global companies will also be part of the expo including -- Tata Group, Reliance, Adani, Vedanta, Hinduja Group, L&T, along with UAE based majors such as Lulu group, KEF Holdings, Aster, Malabar Gold and IFFCO.

In addition, several other organisations such as Hindustan Unilever Limited, PepsiCo, HSBC, ITC, Facebook, EaseMyTrip, Oyo, Standard Chartered Bank, Trident Group, Baidyanath, Apollo Hospital, Sun International, MIKO, Daawat Rice, Bank of Baroda, Patanjali, Dabur, BLS International, Petrochem, Nikai, Al Dobowi, Shycocan, NPCI, Jagran Lake City University, Air India and ICICI Bank will also participate in the megaevent.

A large number of Memorandum of Understanding are expected to be signed during the course of six months.

Meanwhile, India Pavilion will also feature an innovative kinetic facade made up of 600 individual colourful blocks. It is developed as a mosaic of rotating panels that will depict different themes as they rotate on their axis. The installation represents the theme of 'India on the move' and is a unique amalgam of the rich heritage and technological advances of the nation.

As India celebrates 75 years of its independence, the India Pavilion will also mirror the celebrations of Amrit Mahotsav, which was launched by the Prime Minister of India, and will bring to the world the New India through many activities and cultural extravaganzas.

The entire four-storey structure of the India Pavilion is divided into two parts. The zones 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.

Indian festivals like Diwali and Dussehra will be celebrated in a colossal way in India Pavilion.

People who are visiting to witness the gala will have to get entry passes. There are three categories of entry passes. The October Pass, which will give daily access for the entire month of October, and can be purchased for Rs 2,019 or AED 95. The Season Pass is priced at Rs 10,525 or AED 495 and the Multi-Day Pass is will cost Rs 4,146 or AED 195 with free entry for kids and youth under 18, tertiary and higher education students, seniors of 60 years and above.

( With inputs from ANI )