Basil Al-Ghalayini, CEO of BMG Financial Group, has confirmed that BMG will host the first major international business conference focused on Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 — the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — at Cambridge University in the UK on Sunday and Monday.
Al-Ghalayini said: “BMG’s annual business forum provides a platform for business leaders to interact on matters related to exploring Saudi Vision 2030, and the opportunities it holds for UK businesses including: key high growth sectors in the Saudi economy, conversion and listing family businesses via the newly launched Nomu market, and wealth creation advice.”
This conference forms part of BMG’s summer retreat which commences with a concert on Sunday evening, in Cambridge, UK.
The concert, in aid of Syria Relief, aims to bridge East and West through music. In the historic surrounds of King’s College chapel, Riyad Nicolas will perform both eastern and western classical music.
The retreat is rounded off with a friendly polo match between Saudi and British teams captained by Prince William. The BMG GCC Polo Cup was born of a conversation between Prince Charles and Al-Ghalayini in the 90s. On realizing a need for more cultural and sporting interaction between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, Al-Ghalayini took it upon himself to create a platform on which this could take place, whilst simultaneously supporting noble causes.
Underlying the whole event is charitable giving. As well as Syria Relief and Prince William’s charities, the summer retreat supports BMG Foundation’s key charitable initiatives — BMG Foundation’s safe driving, water conservation and health awareness campaigns.
BMG Foundation has been bridging East and West through sport, music and art for over 20 years. In a world that constantly reminds us of our differences and what sets us apart, the vision of BMG Foundation is to transcend differences through the common language of culture.
BMG business forum to focus on Saudi Vision 2030
BMG business forum to focus on Saudi Vision 2030
India seeks to strengthen energy ties with Saudi Arabia during Modi’s visit
- Saudi-India trade worth nearly $43bn in 2023-24; energy alone worth $25.7bn
- Modi, crown prince to co-chair second meeting of Saudi-India Strategic Partnership Council
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for his third visit, as India seeks to strengthen strategic ties with the Kingdom, particularly in the energy sector.
During his two-day trip, Modi is scheduled to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, where they will hold bilateral talks and co-chair the second meeting of the Saudi-India Strategic Partnership Council.
“The visit is important also on account of the obvious significance of Saudi Arabia as a strategic partner for India … Saudi Arabia is a leading voice in the Islamic world, and is increasingly playing an important role in regional developments,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a press briefing on Saturday.
As premier, Modi made his first trip to Saudi Arabia in 2016. Following the crown prince’s first visit to India in February 2019, the Indian leader made his second trip to the Kingdom that October, when the two countries established the Strategic Partnership Council.
In 2023-24, Saudi-India trade reached nearly $43 billion, making India Saudi Arabia’s second-largest trading partner, while the Kingdom stands as New Delhi’s fifth-largest.
Saudi Arabia is “a key player” in India’s energy scenario, Misri said.
“We are looking at infusing an even more strategic outlook in the energy partnership between the two countries. And we expect that the forthcoming visit will have some developments related to this as well,” he added.
Bilateral energy trade alone was worth $25.7 billion in 2023-24, with Saudi Arabia being the third-largest source of India’s LPG, crude and petroleum imports.
Modi’s upcoming visit is a follow-up to the crown prince’s trip to India in 2023, when he attended the summit of the Group of 20 biggest economies.
This was followed by the crown prince’s state visit, which saw the two leaders co-chairing the first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, and both countries signing around 50 initial pacts and agreeing to form a joint task force for a $100 billion Saudi investment in India.
“This is a very important visit as Saudi Arabia is one of the most important partners of India in the Gulf and Middle East region,” Muddassir Qamar, associate professor at the Center for West Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told Arab News on Sunday.
“It is also important as the visit to Saudi Arabia comes at a time of great regional turbulence and uncertainty in international politics, given that Saudi Arabia and India are two of the G20 members and have a similarity of views in regional and global issues.”
Two-way flow of investments, energy security, food security and defense cooperation are likely to be high on the agenda, he said, adding that discussions on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor Agreement are likely to be “top on the priority list,” referring to the trade connectivity plan.
As both countries are working on their respective development plans, namely the Saudi Vision 2030 and India’s Viksit Bharat 2047, they have “ample opportunities to collaborate among businesses and the private sector” across various sectors, including energy, logistics and infrastructure, he added.
Modi’s trip will also boost India’s role in geopolitics, according to Mohammed Soliman, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington D.C.
“Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia marks a pivotal moment in the deepening of the India-Saudi strategic partnership — strengthening economic ties with $40 billion in trade, securing vital energy supplies, and elevating India’s voice in West Asian geopolitics,” he told Arab News.
“The visit positions India as a key player in West Asia.”
Top F1 qualifiers face intense competition in Jeddah
Jeddah: After Max Verstappen secured pole position in the top qualifiers for the F1 Saudi Arabian GP on Saturday night, the leading three drivers said that the competition was very intense for Sunday’s race.
Speaking to the media during the post-qualifying conference, Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), and George Russell (Mercedes) discussed how optimistic they were for Sunday’s race and other challenges.
“I am very happy,” Verstappen said. “I definitely didn’t expect to be on pole here after FP3 as well and looking at how the whole weekend was. We made some final changes, and it was a lot more enjoyable to drive.”
Speaking about Sunday’s race, Verstappen said: “I think in the race it will be tough to keep them behind, but we’re going to give it a good go.”
“It is much better than what we had in Bahrain, of course. And, yeah, let’s see what we can do tomorrow in the race,” he added.
Russell said: “If Oscar gets into the lead, you’ll probably see a repeat of Bahrain. If we stay in the order we qualified, I think it could be a tight race until the pit stops.”
Meanwhile, Piastri said that it would be a long and tough race. “I’m happy with the job I did,” he said. “I think it was playing catch-up a little bit through the first part of qualifying and then, yeah, that last lap felt more or less like the best I could have done. So, you know, I think Max has done a good job.”
He added: “Yes, we will fight hard for the final. I think our pace is good. It’s going to be a tough race and the tires are a bit softer than last year, so we’ll see if that plays to our advantage.”
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is known for its high-speed turns, creating challenges for drivers. All three top qualifiers emphasized the need for rhythm and precision on the track.
Saudi ministry supports Balkans Qur’an contest
RIYADH: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, through the religious attache at the Saudi Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has concluded the preliminary qualifiers for the largest international Holy Qur’an memorization competition in the Balkans.
The event was organized in cooperation with the Islamic Sheikdom in Kosovo and coordinated with the Saudi Embassy in Albania, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
There were 2,350 contestants from 22 countries, including Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Italy, Turkiye, Greece, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Estonia, Belgium, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Belarus and San Marino.
Of these, 160 contestants qualified for the final round, to be held May 8-11 in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, where they will compete in five categories.
The competition offers a total prize pool of SR500,000 ($133,000), with an estimated organization cost of SR1.2 million.
Sheikh Naim Ternava, grand mufti and head of the Islamic Sheikhdom in Kosovo, expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for its ongoing support.
He praised the ministry’s various programs aimed at promoting a moderate understanding of Islam and reinforcing the values and teachings of the Holy Qur’an among Muslims in the Balkans, particularly in Kosovo.
Saudi Arabia advances in 2025 Global Intellectual Property Index
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has made notable progress in the 2025 Global Intellectual Property Index, with its score rising by 17.5 percent, placing it among the fastest-improving economies out of the 55 countries evaluated.
According to the 13th edition of the index, published by the US Chamber of Commerce, the Kingdom now ranks 40th globally—a reflection of the substantial reforms driven by its Vision 2030 strategy. These reforms aim to enhance intellectual property protection, foster innovation, and support the growth of a knowledge-based economy.
Since 2019, Saudi Arabia’s overall score has increased from 36.6 percent to 53.7 percent in 2025, marking a cumulative improvement of over 40 percent in just six years.
This progress stems from a comprehensive transformation of the nation’s IP ecosystem, including the strengthening of legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.
Key milestones noted in the report include the extension of design protection from 10 to 15 years, the establishment of a specialized prosecution office for IP-related cases, and the launch of advanced online enforcement tools for copyrights and trademarks.
These developments highlight Saudi Arabia’s growing institutional capacity and ongoing regulatory modernization, led by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property.
The report also highlighted significant advancements in public awareness initiatives, inter-agency collaboration, and Saudi Arabia’s accession to key international intellectual property treaties. These developments have helped align the Kingdom’s IP framework more closely with global standards.
Notably, Saudi Arabia achieved higher scores in enforcement, international treaty participation, and the efficiency of its copyright enforcement system. These improvements reinforce the Kingdom’s ambition to become a regional and global center for innovation and creativity.
By fostering a more transparent and dependable intellectual property environment, Saudi Arabia is attracting increased foreign investment while also empowering local entrepreneurs to develop innovative ideas, products, and technologies.
The US Chamber of Commerce commended the Kingdom’s efforts to institutionalize intellectual property rights as a core component of its economic diversification strategy, positioning Saudi Arabia as a model among emerging markets.
Meanwhile, the UAE also performed strongly in the 2025 index, ranking 26th globally with an overall score of 60.66 percent. The UAE was praised for its robust patent and trademark protections, consistent judicial enforcement, and strong commitment to digital transformation.
Lewandowski injury confirmed in blow to Barca quadruple bid
- Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski was diagnosed with a hamstring injury on Sunday and is set to miss the Copa del Rey final and Champions League semifinal according to Spanish media reports
BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski was diagnosed with a hamstring injury on Sunday and is set to miss the Copa del Rey final and Champions League semifinal according to Spanish media reports.
The 36-year-old Polish forward, Barcelona’s top goalscorer with 40 goals across all competitions, came off during his team’s 4-3 La Liga win over Celta Vigo on Saturday.
“Tests carried out on Sunday have confirmed that first-team player Robert Lewandowski has a semitendinosus injury in his left thigh,” said Barcelona in a statement, without specifying how long he would be sidelined for.
Spanish media reported Lewandowski could be out for three weeks, meaning he would not be available next Saturday as Barcelona face Real Madrid in the Copa final in Seville.
The La Liga leaders also host Inter Milan on April 30 in the Champions League semifinal first leg, and visit the Italians on May 6.
Lewandowski is set to miss league games against Mallorca on Tuesday and Valladolid on May 3, with a potential return against Real Madrid on May 11, a match which could decide the title race.
Barcelona, who won the Spanish Super Cup in January, are chasing a potential quadruple and are in the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2019.
Coach Hansi Flick has used Ferran Torres through the middle as a replacement for Lewandowski before, and has also experimented with Dani Olmo operating as a false nine.
