Saudi based Islamic bank enters India, first branch in Gujarat

[email protected] (CD Network)
June 1, 2016

Ahmedabad, Jun 1: The Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is set to start its India operations from Gujarat. The international financial institution which has its headquarters in Jeddah has chosen the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up its first branch in India. The state will also get 30 medical vans as part of IDB's social sector initiatives.

jeddah

Islamic Development Bank headquarters located in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah.

IDB's main objective is to foster the economic development and social progress of member countries as well as the Muslim community in accordance with principles of Shariah (Islamic law). The bank has 56 Islamic countries as its members.

The developments follow an agreement between India's state-owned Exim Bank and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a private-sector arm of the IDB group, as part of deals signed during Modi's trip to Saudi Arabia in April.

The IDB, a multilateral lender with an authorised capital of $100 billion, counts 56 Muslim nations as its members. Most of these countries belong to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

ISLAMIC BANKING: SOME FACTS 

  • It is a finance system based on the principle of not charging interest, which is prohibited under Islam. Now, it goes by a more formal moniker – participatory banking.
  • Instead of charging interest, the lender shares a part of the profit – or loss – with the borrower
  • It is open to non-Muslims as well
  • By 2020, the global Islamic banking industry profit pool is expected to reach $30.3 billion.

Its India operations will be led by Zafar Sareshwala, a prominent Muslim businessman from Gujarat whom the Modi government appointed chancellor of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University soon after assuming office.

The agreement in Jeddah was signed by Exim Bank regional head Tarun Sharma and ICD CEO Khaled Al Aboodi in the presence of Ahmad Javed, India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

To be based in Ahmedabad, the bank will offer interest-free capital to business startups, including small and medium enterprises within India, marking the entry of the Islamic banking – also known as participatory banking – into the country.

According to an Exim Bank statement, the IDB's bigger role will be in the $100 million (about Rs 670 crore) credit line it has pledged “with the aim of facilitating the export of goods and services from India to ICD's member countries”.

“The ICD will be open for business to all Indians, regardless of religious background. In Malaysia, the KFC chain runs on ICD finance although it is owned by a Chinese firm. Some people have this unnecessary issue with Islamic banking, which is actually known as participatory banking across the globe now,” said Sareshwala, who has been named as a director for the bank's India operations.

The IDB has also promised $55m (about Rs 380 crore) for a state-of-the-art rural mobile medical network – the first leg of which will be launched in Gujarat.

The IDB, which complies with global Islamic finance norms, does not charge interest on loans because the religion prohibits it. Instead, it charges a part of the profit and also shares any losses with the borrower.

According to the EY's World Islamic Banking Competitiveness Report 2016, Global Islamic banking assets would have reached US$1 trillion by 2015-end.

Comments

Ahmed
 - 
Thursday, 2 Jun 2016

Poorna Prakash, Mangalore
We have since long following banks
Catholic Syrian Bank
Nakodar Hindu Bank
The Hindu Co-Operative Bank Ltd.

But, you have a problem as soon as we get a Islamic bank.
This is nothing else but, intolerance.

Don't forget another bank: The Hindu Vote Bank.

Rikaz
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

Why feku's state is getting all of those facilities? why don't they bring it to Karnataka....

suresh
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

All the investment only to gujarat? Why? This investment will be mis used by Gujju's as it says if the business in loss it will be shared by both. gujju's are well known how to make them fool. This will create more mallya;s in Gujarat.

moshu
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

Hope one day rss will understand islam well and will follow the rule of Allah

moshu
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

Siddarth mumbai openly backing his hawala racket crooks operating by his modi govt

Naren kotian
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

It is done to curb India's black money outflow and inflow by hawala means ..since 90% of hawala transactions are mostly encouraged by just particular section ...anyways since they have given 100 million credit line ..so we have ample opportunity to export pig related products to 56 Islamic countries ..hahaha ...nia monitoring is must as terrorists are most likely to use this bank ...

muhammed rafique
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

Appreciate Modi's wisdom in realising the importance of Islamic banking

Rizwan
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

Good initiative by P.M , i appreciate his move. Both india and KSA will be benifited by this.

Asif
 - 
Wednesday, 1 Jun 2016

Al Hamdlillah... itrs great news... waiting from a long time... hope it soon opens its branches all over India.

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News Network
November 10,2024

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has warned that disciplinary action will be taken against those officials who change the land mutation records and serve eviction notices to farmers under the Waqf Act.

In a letter, the Revenue Department Principal Secretary Rajender Kumar Kataria reminded all regional commissioners and deputy commissioners in the districts that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently had a meeting following complaints about certain land properties being made in favour of the Karnataka Board of Waqfs.

In the meeting it was decided that all the directions issued previously by any government office or authority to change the mutation records has been withdrawn, the letter said.

It added that all the notices served in the past have also been withdrawn and no action should be taken against the farmers who are cultivating on the said land.

On the directions of the chief minister, the previous letters and the latest reminders served on November 7 to the farmers and land owners have been withdraw, the letter said.

"The officials who served reminder-2 despite the chief minister's direction will face appropriate disciplinary action," Kataria said in his letter.

He said he has been instructed to strictly implement the chief minister's direction.

The fresh direction was issued in poll-bound Karnataka, where bypolls to three crucial assembly segments are due on November 13.

Some farmers in Honwad village in Vijayapura in north Karnataka had alleged last month that they were served eviction notices as the Waqf Board claimed rights over it.

Subsequently, complaints started in pouring in from some other parts of the state.

BJP leader Tejasvi Surya on October 25 alleged that Karnataka Waqf Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan directed the deputy commissioners and revenue officials to register lands in favour of the Waqf Board within 15 days, which resulted in confusion.

On Surya's request, the Chairman of the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagdambika Pal visited Karnataka on November 7 and met farmers in Hubballi, Vijayapura and Belagavi districts who had alleged that their lands were marked as Waqf properties.

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News Network
November 13,2024

evehicle.jpg

In the heart of Mangaluru, where rising air pollution is spurring public health worries, voices are calling for a greener, cleaner shift in the city’s public transport. Leading this call is APD Foundation, a Mangaluru-based environmental NGO, which has urged Forest, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre to mandate electric vehicle (EV) adoption in public transport.

Abdullah A Rehman, CEO of APD Foundation, emphasized in a formal letter to the minister that Mangaluru’s public transportation system—efficient and organized with both government and private players—could transition smoothly to EVs in stages. He suggested that government-backed financial incentives, partnerships with EV manufacturers, and collaborations with environmental groups could streamline the switch.

Rehman stressed the potential of EVs to cut down emissions, enhance air quality, and reduce noise levels, noting the quieter operation of electric buses. He confirmed that a copy of his letter was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner as well.

However, Dilraj Alva from the Dakshina Kannada City Bus Association noted potential challenges, explaining that the shift might take up to two years due to infrastructure and budget hurdles. Most EV buses, he explained, are procured through aggregators, not directly by individual operators. The addition of charging stations and other essential infrastructure further complicates the transition.

Alva also raised the economic concern: while diesel buses are priced between ₹30-40 lakh, electric buses can cost up to ₹1 crore. Reflecting on recent meetings with companies, including one in Manipal, he questioned the assumption that EVs are an absolute solution to pollution. “EVs aren’t entirely eco-friendly, especially when considering battery disposal,” he cautioned.

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News Network
November 14,2024

srirang.jpg

Bengaluru: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi led union government has requested the Karnataka High Court to direct the Mandya district administration and the state government to clear a madrasa operating within the premises of the historic Jama Masjid in Srirangapatna.

The Waqf Board, opposing this move, has claimed the mosque as its property and defended the right to conduct madrasa activities there.

The matter was brought before a division bench headed by Chief Justice N V Anjaria following a public interest litigation filed by a person named Abhishek Gowda from Kabbalu village in Kanakapura taluk. The petition alleged “unauthorised madrasa activities” within the mosque.

Representing the Central government, Additional Solicitor General of India for High Court of Karnataka, K Arvind Kamath argued that the Jama Masjid was designated as a protected monument in 1951, yet unauthorised madrasa operations continue there.

He noted that concerns over potential law and order issues have so far prevented any intervention. Kamath urged the court to direct the Mandya district administration to take action and vacate the madrasa from the mosque.

In defence, lawyers for the state government and the Waqf Board contested this request, stating that the Waqf Board had been recognised as the owner of the property since 1963 and, thus, conducting madrasa activities there is lawful.

After hearing both sides, the bench adjourned the case for further arguments, scheduling the next hearing for November 20.

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