UAE's greenfield FDI up 78% in 2025, $8B Neom green hydrogen complex nears completion, GCC and India to restart FTA talks, Philippines works on wholesale CBDC, India launches ride-hailing service Bharat
Here’s a look at today's biggest tech stories in the MENA+:
- Govt, Khazna, Agility to pilot adoption of Phaidra AI to boost data center efficiency
- Mubadala's ADIC expands into new asset classes in transformation into major fund
- NYU Abu Dhabi's Tuka Alhanai nominated to serve on UN scientific panel for AI
- Autonomous driving startup Waymo raises $16B round led by Mubadala
- Greenfield FDI jumps 78% in 2025 as India emerges top investor
- $8B Neom green hydrogen complex nears completion, to begin production in mid-2027
- Pakistan to take over presidency of Riyadh-based Digital Cooperation Organization Council
- German Chancellor to visit in push for new trade partners
- Congo to ship copper to Saudi Arabia, UAE via US-backed Mercuria
- Delinking Saudi investment allowed GCC trade negotiations to move forward
- Egypt, Turkey to upgrade relations to 'strategic' level
- Oppo launches tech skills initiative with ITIDA
- IFC to invest $1.2B domestically in FY2026
- Egypt to issue $2B in international bonds in H2 of FY2025-26
- Egypt, Sweden in discussions for healthcare, investment partnerships
- Tax rates for top earners to be reviewed in next budget
- Pakistan, China to collaborate in intelligence sharing, cybercrime
- Kazakh EV Maker gets 600 bus deal in Pakistan
- Govt seeks two-year extension of $1.2B oil facility with Saudi Arabia
- World Bank says Pakistan must create 30M jobs over ten years to leverage youthful population
Other MENA+ Developments
- GCC, India to sign terms to restart free trade talks
- UK, GCC enter “final step” of free trade deal negotiations
- Qatar's Dukhan Bank partners PayLater to study BNPL offering
- Kuwait plans law for local, international sukuk issuance
- European School of Management and Technology, QIA partner on new Qatari innovation hub
Southeast Asia Developments
- Singtel to expand to Brazil with digital infra
- Singapore Exchange aims to woo more China, Asean listings with Nasdaq linkup
- Grab becomes exclusive distributor of China’s Hesai lidar sensors
- Philippines working on wholesale CBDC for settlement of tokenized govt bonds
- Malaysia bans e-waste imports
India Developments
- Govt to add 25,000 more GPUs as AI Mission works on fourth tender
- India-China trade reaches record $155.6B in 2025 amidst warming ties
- Public debate intensifies over limiting children's access to social media
- India to share cross-border crypto data from April next year
- Govt-backed ride-hailing service Bharat launches following New Delhi, Gujarat pilots
