As India hosts the first global AI summit in the Global South in New Delhi, good news from IIT Madras reinforces bilateral commitment to advanced technology, digital trade corridors and innovation-led growth. IIT Madras Global Research Foundation will establish its first Applied Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre at Dubai CommerCity to accelerate applied AI innovation and support technology-led economic growth.
In its first phase, the Centre will host a portfolio of six applied AI startups with a combined valuation of approximately US$118 million and projected revenues of US$281 million over the next five years.
Facilitated by MCA Gulf, a strategic partner of IITM Global in Dubai, the Centre aims to position Dubai as a regional and global launchpad for applied AI innovation, enabling solutions to be developed, deployed and scaled through a long-term platform focused on sustainable innovation and value creation.
The MoU was signed on the sidelines of WORLDEF Dubai 2026, the Middle East region’s largest global gathering dedicated to digital commerce. The event was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee.
The agreement marks a strategic step toward strengthening the India–UAE technology corridor and advancing applied AI innovation in line with the objectives of the India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Highlighting the importance of this AI Centre, Prof. Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean (Global Engagement), IIT Madras, said, “Coinciding with the India AI Impact Summit, this initiative bridges academic breakthroughs with industrial scale to drive ‘Human-Centric AI.’ It strengthens the India-UAE technological bond, establishing this strategic corridor as a global benchmark for AI solutions anchored in safety and governance.”