IGF Middle East 2025: NXT Frontiers

Where India’s innovation meets the world’s next frontiers

IGF Middle East 2025 returns to Dubai for its landmark 5th edition – an exclusive gathering of selected 90 leaders across policy, business and technology to explore how India’s tech-driven growth can connect with global markets, with Dubai serving as the gateway for partnerships shaping the economy of tomorrow.

This year the focus is on how digital acceleration is driving cross-border collaboration across nine frontiers shaping the next decade — from intelligence and deeptech to resilience and healthspan - building a collective framework for innovation-led growth.

A forum where every participant is a speaker, contributor, and catalyst for change

90 Participants. 9 Frontiers. 1 Future.

Meet Our Speakers

IGF Dubai 2025 Recap

The IGF Middle East 2025: NXT Frontiers convened in Dubai as the fifth edition of the event bringing together 90 selected leaders spanning policy, business, technology, academia and investment under the theme “Where India’s innovation meets the world’s next frontiers.” Over two days, participants explored how India’s rapid, tech-driven growth can connect with Gulf capital, infrastructure and global markets positioning Dubai as a strategic gateway for cross-border collaboration.

The forum pivoted around nine thematic “frontiers” - ranging from deep technology, AI and intelligence, to healthspan, supply-chain resilience, consumer capital, and human capital. Through strategic roundtables, panel discussions, fireside chats and curated networking sessions, attendees discussed how emerging technologies, capital flows, global supply chain corridors, and sustainable business models can jointly shape the next decade of India–Gulf economic cooperation.

Disruptors in the desert

IGF Dialogues

IGF Studio

That’s What They Said

“For India and the UAE relations, we are witnessing that the sky is not just a ceiling but a beginning. I think there is still a sea of opportunities to explore. We have invested in people and developed knowledge partnerships. It is important to explore how we invest in partnerships for the next generations.”

H.E. Dr. Deepak Mittal

India’s Ambassador to the UAE

“We believe there is a significant opportunity for Indian manufacturers and entrepreneurs to leverage the second-to-none ecosystem that has been created in the emirate of Dubai.”

Abdulla Al Hashmi

Chief Operating Officer of Parks & Zones, DP World GCC

“The relationship between the UAE and India is long-standing. Before the foundation of the UAE, India was already a partner of the cities here. If I talk to my parents, India was their beacon; they looked forward to India, and India has been a pivotal partner of the UAE for many years.”

Abdulaziz AlJaziri

Deputy CEO & Chief Operations Officer, Dubai Future Foundation

“In today’s time you have to be bold in your direction and safer in your execution, but you can’t forget speed today. In the world that we’re in speed and efficiency are absolutely the primary things to think about every single day.”

Priya Agarwal Hebbar

Non- Executive Director at Vedanta Ltd. & Chairperson at Hindustan Zinc Ltd., Vedanta Limited

“Longevity in life span is complex. Genetics is the key factor in how well someone's longevity is. We are just scratching the surface of these genetic markets to understand the risks and opportunities.”

Tonya McSherry

VP EMEAI, Oxford Nanopore Technologies

“AI will be a big disruptor in retail and will continue to be so. It has always been a disruptor in the last four or five years. The customer experience that you provide is not just about product or clean stores, it's the omnichannel 360 degree experience which matters”

Dr. Sumit Mitra

CEO - TESCO Business Solutions & TESCO India & Chairman - OmniSol, TESCO India Pvt Ltd

“There are deep pools of capital today, and countries that are fortunate to have both talent and the ability to unlock domestic capital will be best positioned to build a strong sovereign stack. India is uniquely placed in this respect – we have abundant engineering talent, a rapidly growing economy, and a government with clear intent.”

Archana Jahagirdar

Founder & Managing Partner, Rukam Capital