MUMBAI: Indian motorsport continues to gather global momentum, and at the heart of that surge stands Mumbai Falcons Racing League (MFRL), leading the charge in developing world-class racing talent from India. The team delivered a statement performance at the 2025-2026 UAE ROTAX MAX Championship, securing two championship titles, five top-three finishes, and the overall Teams’ Championship, underlining its role as a premier platform nurturing India’s next generation of international racing talent.

Leading the charge, Tyla Harris clinched the DD2 Championship with 1123 points, while Maurits Knopjes dominated DD2 Masters with 941 points. Together, they established Mumbai Falcons’ authority at the top tier of competition in one of the Middle East’s most competitive karting championships.

For India, the most compelling story lies in the rise of its young drivers. Mitansh Jain emerged as Junior Max Vice-Champion, delivering a season defined by consistency, composure, and front-running pace. His 960-point campaign firmly positioned him as one of the most promising Indian racers on the global karting stage.

Close behind, Arhaan Koreishi secured third overall in Junior Max, showcasing remarkable progression through the season. His late-season surge not only earned him a podium finish but also reinforced the depth of Indian talent within the Mumbai Falcons program. Adding to the team’s multi-category success, Nathan Kappen finished third overall in Senior Max, completing a championship campaign that saw Mumbai Falcons excel across divisions.

Further reinforcing this success, the team also celebrated title victories in the IAME UAE Championship, where Mitansh Jain was crowned IAME UAE Champion under the Juniors category, while Rayan Koreishi secured the Vice Championship under the IAME UAE Seniors category. These achievements also earned the team a coveted ticket to the IAME World Finals.

Anjum Shaikh, Team Principal of MFRL’s Karting Programme, shared, “This season reflects the level of consistency and performance we expect as a team competing at the highest level. At the same time, seeing Indian drivers step up and secure podium finishes in such a competitive field is a clear signal that India is ready to produce the next generation of global racing stars. Indian motorsport is entering a defining phase, and we remain committed to building stronger, more structured pathways that can consistently deliver excellence.”

MFRL’s overall performance at the championship reflects a structured, high-performance ecosystem built in India for a world-stage competition. Across the season, Mumbai Falcons demonstrated not just winning ability but depth, resilience, and consistency—qualities essential for developing future champions.  The significance of these achievements extends beyond the standings. The UAE Rotax Max Championship serves as a gateway to the Rotax MAX Championship Grand Finals, placing Mumbai Falcons drivers within the global talent pipeline. Competing—and succeeding—at this level signals India’s growing influence in international karting.

Mumbai Falcons has steadily positioned itself as a launchpad for young drivers, combining international exposure, technical excellence, and race-winning capability. With Indian drivers like Jain and Koreishi delivering standout performances against a highly competitive international grid, the message is clear: India is no longer an emerging presence in global karting; it is becoming a force.

As the 2025–2026 season concludes, Mumbai Falcons continues in its endeavour to actively shape India’s racing future and build a pathway for the country’s brightest young talents to become tomorrow’s global stars.

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MUMBAI: NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has announced a strategic partnership with Magnati, a leading payment solutions provider in the Middle East, to advance QR-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI) merchant payments via Magnati’s point-of-sale (POS) terminals in the UAE. The collaboration aims to expand the QR-based merchant payment network in the UAE by enabling more merchants to provide UPI as a payment method to Indian travelers.

UPI is recognized as one of the world’s most successful real-time payment systems, processing over 16 billion transactions in December 2024 alone. With this partnership, NIPL can provide seamless payment options to more than 12 million Indians traveling to Dubai and the UAE annually. It plugs an Indian solution into the global digital payments network and allows UAE merchants to cater to a growing Indian consumer base.

The partnership will initially offer UPI acceptance across Dubai Duty-Free, enhancing the shopping and payment experience for Indian tourists. It will further pave the way for future expansion across key merchant categories, including retail, hospitality, transport, and supermarkets.

Ritesh Shukla, Chief Executive Officer, of NPCI International said, “The partnership with Magnati is a strategic step towards expanding UPI acceptance in the UAE. It offers Indian travelers a seamless and familiar payment experience at premier destinations like Dubai Duty-Free. This collaboration aligns with our vision of providing Indians with a global digital payment acceptance network and enhancing their experience abroad. Furthermore, it paves the way for broader economic and cultural connections between India and the UAE.”

Salim Awan, Managing Director, Institutional Payments Solutions, Magnati, said, “With the NPCI International collaboration, Magnati has expanded its alternative payment channels network for Dubai Duty-Free as this partnership aims to bolster digital payments, facilitate cross-border payments and provide a seamless payment experience catering to the Indian travelers and NRIs. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to innovative digital solutions and create value through a globally connected ecosystem.”

Ramesh Cidambi, Chief Executive Officer, of Dubai Duty-Free, said, “Magnati’s partnership strongly connects to its commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions. By integrating UPI into its payment acceptance ecosystem, Magnati is demonstrating its position as a trusted partner for businesses across the UAE, enabling quick, hassle-free, and secure payment experiences for both merchants and customers.”

By expanding UPI acceptance into key markets like the UAE, NPCI International is showcasing India’s leadership in digital payment innovation on a global stage. It will set a benchmark for cross-border payment interoperability and help build stronger economic and cultural ties between India and the world.

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Held as part of the UAE’s 53rd Eid Al Etihad celebrations, which saw the participation of the Indian Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudhary, as the Chief Guest; the UAE Cultural Day featured a variety of cultural, heritage, and entertainment activities that showcased Emirati traditions and customs.

The event included a dedicated corner for Emirati craftswomen, who showcased traditional crafts such as Al-Talli and Al-Sadu. A traditional food station offered guests an array of Emirati dishes, including luqaimat, raqaq bread, harees, and traditional Arabic coffee, and a henna design corner was set up for attendees to experience this traditional cultural art.

UAE Cultural Day saw enthusiastic participation from guests, who commended the festive atmosphere and acknowledged the UAE’s remarkable journey of achievements and progress under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President.

As well as celebrating the UAE’s history and culture, the event highlighted the country’s strong ties with India, which span cooperation across the cultural, social, economic, and diplomatic fields.

Over the past year, the UAE-India relationship has strengthened, with bilateral trade between the two countries increasing to nearly USD 84 billion, with the UAE reinforcing its position as India’s second-largest export market, third-largest trading partner, and fourth-largest investor. Major milestones, such as the opening of the BAPS Hindu Mandir and the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi underline the strength of cultural ties and people-to-people connections between the UAE and India.

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NEW DELHI: Dubai-based retail giant the Landmark Group has partnered with Unicommerce, one of India’s leading e-commerce enablement SaaS platforms to strengthen its e-commerce operations across the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Landmark Group has initially integrated its home decor brand Homebox with Unicommerce and will add more brands moving forward. The arrangement envisages the deployment of Unicommerce’s multi-channel order management and warehouse & inventory management systems to automate order processing.

Unicommerce has a strong footprint in the region with extensive integrations with marketplaces and logistics service providers like Amazon, Noon, FirstCry, Clickpost, Aramex, DHL, and Fedex among many others. Over the years, Unicommerce has added customized services including label printing and invoicing in Arabic language to support domestic companies in managing their orders efficiently.

Unicommerce currently works with over 20 businesses in the region and continues to strengthen its business operations across the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Talking about the partnership, Ashick Ali, Head of Ecommerce, Homebox said, “As a part of the Landmark Group, HomeBox has established itself as a well-known home furnishing brand across the Middle East. With e-commerce now being the new-age shopping verse, we are focused on building resilient supply chain operations. Unicommerce is a well-known technology enabler in the Middle East and we look forward to leveraging their platform to streamline our e-commerce operations.”

Debayan Sarkar, Marketplace Leader at Homebox added, “As we level up our e-commerce operations, Unicommerce’s technology will play a crucial role in navigating through this evolving and competitive market.”

Kapil Makhija, MD & CEO of Unicommerce mentioned, “As we continue to build a strong client base outside of India, we are thrilled to be the technology enabler of the Landmark Group. Our expertise across the Indian subcontinent provides an edge for us to ensure seamless e-commerce operations management for the retail conglomerate. With the growing interest towards online shopping in the Middle East, Unicommerce is well positioned to support the needs of brands across the region.”

With a growing Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) as of the quarter ending September 2023, Unicommerce has achieved a 750 million+ Annual Transaction run-rate, serving over 3500 customers, managing 8000+ warehouses, and processing orders from 1900+ stores through its platform.

“Unicommerce eSolutions Limited is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions, and other considerations, to make an initial public offer of its equity shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The DRHP is available on the websites of the Company at www.unicommerce.com, SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in as well as on the website of the book running lead managers, IIFL Securities Limited and CLSA India Private Limited at www.iiflcap.com and www.india.clsa.com, respectively. Investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk. For details, potential investors should refer to the DRHP, including the section titled “Risk Factors”.

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ABU DHABI: The Shapoorji Pallonji Group, one of India’s leading business houses, announces the successful completion of the first Hindu temple in the Middle East. The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi was inaugurated in person on 14^th February 2024 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in a grand ceremony. This significant accomplishment marks a historic milestone in fostering cultural and religious unity, and in strengthening bilateral relations between India and the UAE.

An architectural marvel, the Mandir towers over the sandy landscape of the UAE. It is nestled in 27 acres of desert land, in the outskirts of Abu Dhabi – thanks to the generous donation of land by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

The Mandir is open to all faiths and is an initiative of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (the institution behind several Swaminarayan temples across India and the world). It is a testament to India’s culture and its ancient skills in architecture and sculpture. It has been built in strict accordance with age-old Indian texts and derives its inspiration from a lotus motif. It has 7 spires, which represent the 7 Emirates of the UAE.

“Our dream of building a Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi has now become a reality. Shapoorji Pallonji has played a pivotal role in partnering with us to create this lotus in the desert. We extend our gratitude to Shapoorji Pallonji for bringing to life our vision of this spiritual oasis for global harmony,” said Pranav Desai, Director of BAPS.

“We, at Shapoorji Pallonji, are deeply honored to have had the opportunity to work with BAPS and create this incredible monument that brings together art, harmony, and faith. Apart from being a celebration of cultural diversity, this is a testament to our engineering expertise” said Shapoorji P Mistry, Chairman, Shapoorji Pallonji Group.

In this project, Shapoorji Pallonji successfully integrated modern technology such as security, lighting systems, and air-conditioning with the traditional requirements of ancient Indian architecture.

The temple complex has 7 ancillary buildings, to cater to 15,000+ visitors daily. It has distinctive water features, which represent three major rivers – Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. The main temple is constructed on a raft foundation using UAE’s largest single pour of unreinforced fly ash concrete. Instead of iron and steel reinforcements, bamboo sticks and glass fiber were used.

The temple façade is built on this foundation, using 40,000 cubic meters of marble from Italy and 1,80,000 cubic meters of pink sandstone from Rajasthan. Thousands of artisans and volunteers intricately carved the stones in Rajasthan, for BAPS. These were then put together in Abu Dhabi like a giant jigsaw puzzle. The Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which is 159 years old, has built several landmarks across the world. It has been present in the Middle East for close to 50 years, beginning with the Sultan’s Palace in Muscat, in 1975. Some of its recent marquee projects in India are Bharat Mandapam and Kartavya Path in New Delhi, Port Blair Airport, and Atal Tunnel in Himachal 

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With over 50 retail supermarkets, flour mills, and spice factories, the Adil Group has played an integral role in providing high-quality food products at affordable prices, catering to the diverse tastes of the Indian community in Dubai and beyond. Dr. Datar’s commitment to delivering authentic flavors and maintaining impeccable quality standards has made him a beloved figure among Indians in the UAE.

The Icon of Dubai award not only celebrates Dr. Datar’s success but also highlights his dedication to enhancing the culinary experiences of the Indian diaspora. His relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to community service have set a remarkable benchmark in the retail sector.

Dr. Dhananjay Datar expressed his gratitude for the honor, saying, “Receiving the Icon of Dubai award is a humbling experience. I am deeply committed to serving our community by providing quality products and maintaining the authentic flavors of India. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Adil family.”

The India Today Group’s recognition of Dr. Datar’s exceptional achievements in the retail industry reinforces his status as an iconic figure in Dubai and a source of pride for the Indian community.

Founded by Masala King Dr. Dhananjay Datar, Adil Trading has been a pioneering force in the retail industry, providing top-notch food products that cater to the distinct tastes of the Indian community in the UAE. With a commitment to quality and authenticity, Adil has grown to become a trusted name synonymous with excellence.

Masala King Dr. Dhananjay Datar’s recognition as the ‘Icon of Dubai’ by the India Today Group is a testament to his exceptional achievements in the retail industry. His commitment to delivering authentic flavors and maintaining impeccable quality standards has made him a beloved figure among Indians in the UAE.

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