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Ras Al Khaimah, Apr 07: Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) continues to deepen its global engagement as it welcomed over a hundred delegates from across international markets in the first quarter of the year, reflecting growing interest in Ras Al Khaimah as a destination for business expansion and collaboration.

As businesses increasingly seek resilient, well-connected markets to support their growth strategies, cross-border engagement has become a key driver of long-term partnerships. In this context, RAKEZ has emerged as an active platform for dialogue, bringing together representatives from consulates, embassies, and business organisations to explore opportunities within Ras Al Khaimah’s evolving economic landscape.

The visiting delegations, representing countries including Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, Spain, Guatemala, and Russia, were introduced to RAKEZ’s integrated ecosystem through a series of site visits across its industrial zones, gaining firsthand exposure to the emirate’s industrial infrastructure and operational capabilities.

These engagements enabled discussions around investment and collaboration opportunities across key sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, reflecting the growing alignment between global business priorities and the opportunities emerging from Ras Al Khaimah.

This momentum builds on RAKEZ’s continued efforts to strengthen international ties, having hosted a growing number of delegations in recent years, further reinforcing its role as a trusted point of connection for global stakeholders seeking access to regional and international markets.

Commenting on the visits, RAKEZ Group CEO Ramy Jallad said, “Welcoming international delegations to Ras Al Khaimah reflects the growing confidence in the emirate’s business environment and investment potential. These engagements create meaningful dialogue and lay the foundation for long-term partnerships. At RAKEZ, we continue to provide a platform where global stakeholders can explore opportunities, connect with the right ecosystem, and move forward with clarity and confidence.”

As global business dynamics continue to evolve, RAKEZ remains committed to facilitating impactful engagement with international partners, supporting businesses in identifying opportunities, building connections, and advancing their expansion plans from Ras Al Khaimah.

New Delhi, Apr 7: The Ministry of Mines has introduced the Minerals Concession Rules 2026, aimed at boosting the exploration and production of critical minerals essential for electric vehicles, high-tech electronics, and defence equipment, according to an official statement on Monday.

Pic Credit: Pexel

Effective from March 30, 2026, the new rules provide a clear framework for:

• Incorporating contiguous areas into existing mining leases,
• Granting composite licences for deep-seated minerals, and
• Including associated minerals in the mining leases of both major and minor minerals.

The updated framework is expected to streamline the exploration process, attract investment, and strengthen domestic supply chains for strategic minerals. Officials noted that this initiative will reduce India’s dependence on imports and support emerging sectors such as electric mobility and advanced electronics.

Industry experts believe the rules could accelerate critical mineral production, enhance India’s global competitiveness in the mining sector, and contribute significantly to the country’s industrial and technological growth.

Mr. Deva Jyotula, Senior Vice President, Retail, Kalpataru Limited, added “It is always a pleasure for Korum Mall to collaborate on such creative initiatives that provide a meaningful platform for fashion while celebrating culture, confidence, and individuality. By hosting events like these, we aim to create vibrant experiences for our visitors and support talent that brings fresh energy and creativity into the space.”

India’s automobile market recorded a historic year in FY26, with total vehicle retail sales reaching an all-time high of 2,96,71,064 units, marking a 13.3% increase compared to 2,61,87,255 units in FY25, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). Industry experts say the rollout of GST 2.0 played a key role in driving consumer confidence and demand, particularly during the latter half of the fiscal year.

Pic Credit: Pexel

Passenger and Two-Wheeler Sales Lead Growth

Passenger vehicle sales grew 13%, reaching 47,05,056 units, up from 41,63,927 units in FY25. Two-wheelers, which continue to dominate the market, also saw robust growth, with retail sales rising 13.4% to 2,14,20,386 units. Three-wheelers and commercial vehicles recorded steady growth as well, with sales increasing 11.68% and 11.74%, respectively.

A Landmark Year for the Auto Industry

FADA President C S Vigneshwar described FY26 as a “landmark year” for the automotive sector, noting that five out of six vehicle categories achieved record annual sales. He emphasized that strong policy support, market stability, and renewed consumer confidence contributed to this growth, even as the pace of sales varied across different segments.

Looking Ahead

With the positive momentum, industry insiders are optimistic about the future. Continued policy clarity, enhanced financing options, and consumer incentives are expected to sustain demand, helping India maintain its growth trajectory in the auto sector.

The record FY26 figures underscore the resilience of the Indian automotive market and highlight the growing appetite for both personal and commercial vehicles across the country.

Last month, Novartis completed its $11 billion acquisition of Avidity Biosciences—the latest in a string of major pharmaceutical mergers including Merck’s acquisition of Verona Pharma and GSK’s acquisition of RAPT Therapeutics. Given the critical importance of the industry, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wields powerful tools to ensure such mergers don’t harm consumers or reduce competition.

Yet new data from UC Berkeley Haas and UC Law shows the FTC’s historic remedy—requiring merging companies to divest pipeline drugs to third parties—appears to have backfired. The study, co-authored by Haas Associate Professor Yaniv Konchitchki and Robin Feldman, Gideon Schor, and Tanziuzzaman Sakib of UC Law, looked at 75 pipeline drugs divested over 13 years and found:

• 81% failed to achieve FDA approval, market entry, and at least a 1% market share.
• 50% never received FDA approval.
• 30% were approved but discontinued for reasons other than safety or efficacy.
• 20% reached the market but never broke 1% market share—with shares ranging from zero to roughly half of one percent. Even the survivors that made it to market failed to achieve even a minuscule foothold.

The researchers found that the consequences of the FTC’s strategy have fallen hardest on consumers. Generic drugs—which drive down prices—made up 70 of the 75 divested drugs, yet only 14% had a successful market entry. Meanwhile, the brand-name drugs had a 75%–80% success rate.

Konchitchki says the findings provide important insights for both researchers and policymakers.

“Our research found that only 19% of divested pipeline drugs ultimately survive, where brand-name drugs and those held by larger companies have significantly higher survival rates,” Konchitchki said. “The FTC’s mission is to protect consumers and promote competition, but our evidence suggests its pipeline drug divestiture policy may actually be working against that goal—reinforcing the advantages of already-dominant companies while putting smaller competitors at a disadvantage. The net effect is less competition, not more.”

“The FTC’s mission is to protect consumers and promote competition, but our evidence suggests its pipeline drug divestiture policy may actually be working against that goal—reinforcing the advantages of already-dominant companies while putting smaller competitors at a disadvantage. The net effect is less competition, not more.”

—Yaniv Konchitchki

The pharmaceutical industry is particularly sensitive to competition issues, given the limited number of competitors and the inflexibility of demand for prescription drugs. The researchers suggest the study may aid the FTC in seeking appropriate remedies.

They propose two alternative remedies:

• “Crown Jewel Divestiture”: The on-market product is sold instead of the pipeline product.
• “Skin in the Game Divestiture”: If the divested product fails to produce significant competition, the merged company must divest the on-market product.