Hindustan times: The pavilion will be part of India's heritage in the UAE. The eco-friendly edifice will represent India's dedication to sustainability.

The India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will live on even after the six-month major extravaganza ends on March 31.

The pavilion will be part of India's heritage in the UAE, a press release said. The eco-friendly edifice will represent India's dedication to sustainability, it claimed.

The India Pavilion, one of the Expo's largest and most iconic, has seen over 1.75 million visitors since its October 1 opening.

The India Pavilion, inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, and Textiles, recorded 1,753,889 visits until the Expo closed on March 31. On March 29, Goyal attended India's Honour Day celebrations at Expo2020 Dubai.

“We are delighted and proud of the way India has been able to showcase itself at the Dubai Expo,” said Indian Ambassador Sunjay Sudhir. “Various sectors and states that participated during the 6 months have been able to utilize every opportunity to expand and grow. Moreover, our bright young minds and entrepreneurs have also capitalized on the opportunity, and we take pride in the fact that the India Innovation Hub is only getting started. The India Pavilion is one of the few ones that will remain for posterity and will continue telling our nation’s story in the years to come.” he added.

The Ambassador went on to say “Our ties with the UAE have been further strengthened with India’s hugely successful participation at Dubai Expo. We have seen numerous meetings here in the last six months that have initiated a dialogue for future associations and many of them have already led to successful partnerships,”

Over 2,000 B2B, G2G, and G2B discussions took place in the India Pavilion, with participants from various states and sectors discussing investment potential and areas of collaboration.

In the previous six months, over 100 MoUs/LOIs have been signed by various states, sectors, and startups. During the same duration, the India Pavilion's ‘Elevate' pitching series has featured over 700 businesses. The Elevate provides Indian startups with mentorship, a platform, and networking opportunities to expand their businesses.

Indian cultural diversity, industry know-how, and business potential were all well-represented in the India Pavilion. ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future ', the India Pavilion presented the country's sectoral expertise, state-specific business areas, and creative concepts from aspiring entrepreneurs.

Exhibitor Group named it one of the top three pavilions at Expo2020 Dubai in the 'People's choice' category for its unique design and originality.

As a result of the presence of many states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala as well as the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the pavilion's exhibition, these regions were able to demonstrate their business potential as well as their rich cultural heritage to leading global investors.

Key sectors like Media and Entertainment, Water, Steel, Food, Agriculture and Livelihood, Health and Wellness; MSME; New and Renewable Energy; Environment; Space; Urban and Rural Development; Oil & Gas; Textile; Knowledge and Learning; and Tourism also had respective weeks at the India Pavilion to highlight growth and investment opportunities in these areas.

Visitors to the pavilion included high-ranking government officials, Bollywood actors, singers, and sports figures.