The UAE India Business Council–United Council (UIBC–UC) has released a landmark research paper titled “Bridging Horizons: UAE–India Partnership and the Future of Education-led Development,” positioning education and human capital as the defining pillars of the next phase of UAE-India strategic cooperation.

The paper was officially launched by Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, during the inauguration of the newly completed DREAM School block in Kothibagh, Srinagar, a transformative initiative by the Faizal and Shabana Foundation that symbolizes the power of cross-border philanthropy and education-led development.

The paper was also presented to Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister, Shri Omar Abdullah, in a private meeting on the same day, by UIBC-UC Chairman Faizal Kottikollon and Head of Corporate Affairs Kshitij Korde, recognizing the region’s leadership and commitment to advancing inclusive education.

The team also presented the Chief Minister with a copy of “Opening Gateways – Tourism Opportunities India-UAE,” UIBC-UC’s visually stunning coffee table book celebrating the growing tourism ties between India and the UAE. Jammu and Kashmir is highlighted in the book as a tourism magnet for the country, with the untapped potential of human capital development in J&K mentioned in the paper.

As both nations expand their comprehensive economic partnership, the research paper argues that education-led development, driven by cross-border collaboration, philanthropic capital, and policy innovation, will be key to unlocking long-term socio-economic resilience.

Developed under UIBC-UC’s Human Development and Knowledge Exchange Initiative, the study underscores how the UAE’s proven expertise in innovation, infrastructure, and knowledge-hub ecosystems can align with India’s demographic dividend, over 600 million youth under 25, to create scalable, sustainable education and skills partnerships that deliver global impact.

Faizal Kottikollon, Chairman of UIBC–UC and Founder of KEF Holdings, said, “Human capital is the true currency of the future economy. The UAE-India partnership has already proven its strength in trade and investment;our next frontier is education. By aligning India’s demographic scale with the UAE’s innovation-driven education models, we can shape a new development paradigm rooted in shared prosperity and knowledge leadership.”

The transformation is part of the DREAM School Project, a flagship initiative of the Faizal & Shabana Foundation (FSF), led by Dubai-based entrepreneur and philanthropist Faizal E. Kottikollon, who is also the Chairman of the UAE India Business Council - UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC). Both he and his wife, Mrs. Shabana Faizal, were present at the opening along with members of the UIBC-UC delegation.

In addition to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor’s presence, the launch of the paper was attended by several prominent business leaders and dignitaries from the UAE and India, including R N Sharma, Secretary, School Education Department, J&K, Dr. Itoo, Director General, School Education, Kashmir, ⁠Dr. Aman Puri, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, and Amb Sunjay Sudhir, former Indian ambassador to the UAE.

Also in attendance were Maj. Gen. Sharafuddin Sharaf (Retd.), Vice-Chairman, UIBC-UC and Vice Chairman, Sharaf Group UAE, Akram Thumbay Moideen, Thumbay Group, UAE, Ajmal Habeeb, Yenepoya Group, and Mr. Moidu KE, PK Group.

Kshitij Korde, Neha Sahni, and Simar Kaur from the UIBC-UC team were also in attendance.

Drawing on UDISE+ 2024–25 data, the paper highlights the structural challenges of India’s education landscape - 69% of schools are government-run, yet they enrol fewer than half of the country’s 247 million students. This imbalance reflects the growing need for quality, trust, and innovation within the public education system.

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The paper benchmarks India against leading education systems such as Finland, South Korea, and Singapore, drawing key policy lessons in teaching quality, governance, and technology adoption while charting four actionable pathways for UAE-India collaboration. These include adapting UAE-style knowledge-cluster models for India’s Special Education Zones, creating two-way talent pipelines to align future skills with global needs, leveraging outcome-based governance for education transformation, and embedding cross-border philanthropic frameworks that integrate CSR, social impact, and state-level partnerships. Highlighting case studies such as the DREAM School in Jammu & Kashmir, the paper illustrates how UAE-based philanthropic and business leaders are catalysing transformative education reforms in India, bridging cultural, economic, and developmental aspirations between the two nations.

Kottikollon added, “The Gulf and India share more than trade ties; we share a responsibility to invest in people. The UAE’s commitment to becoming a global hub for innovation and knowledge places it at the centre of a new era of cooperation, one that empowers the next generation across both nations.”

The paper concludes that human capital development, anchored in education, skills, and innovation, represents the most strategic area of UAE-India collaboration in the coming decade, aligning with the UAE’s Centennial 2071 Vision and India’s goal of becoming a developed economy by 2047.