• Kalpeni island in India's Lakshadweep archipelago off its western coast. Alamy
    Kalpeni island in India's Lakshadweep archipelago off its western coast. Alamy
  • Minicoy, the second-largest of the 36 Lakshadweep islands and one of 10 that are inhabited. Alamy
    Minicoy, the second-largest of the 36 Lakshadweep islands and one of 10 that are inhabited. Alamy
  • Kavaratti, the main settlement in the Lakshadweep islands which have a total area of 32 square kilometres and a population of about 70,000. Alamy
    Kavaratti, the main settlement in the Lakshadweep islands which have a total area of 32 square kilometres and a population of about 70,000. Alamy
  • The underwater marine life in Lakshadweep is part of its unspoilt natural beauty. Alamy
    The underwater marine life in Lakshadweep is part of its unspoilt natural beauty. Alamy
  • Residents of Lakshwadeep take part in a 12-hour hunger strike on June 7, 2021 to protest against development plans and new regulations introduced by the new federal government administrator. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP
    Residents of Lakshwadeep take part in a 12-hour hunger strike on June 7, 2021 to protest against development plans and new regulations introduced by the new federal government administrator. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP
  • Residents hold up signs during a protest against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP
    Residents hold up signs during a protest against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP
  • A series of laws proposed by Praful Patel sparked widespread resentment and a wave of protests by Lakshadweep residents. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP
    A series of laws proposed by Praful Patel sparked widespread resentment and a wave of protests by Lakshadweep residents. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP
  • A family protests against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel. More than three dozen people have been arrested during recent protests. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP
    A family protests against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel. More than three dozen people have been arrested during recent protests. Sayyid Mohammed Anees PP

Paradise lost? India's Lakshadweep islanders reject plan to create 'new Maldives'


  • English
  • Arabic

A storm is brewing over the picturesque Lakshadweep islands off India’s western coast.

The islands' indigenous population is accusing a new administrator appointed by the Indian government of acting against their traditions and interests.

Since taking office in December, Praful Khoda Patel has closed dairies, demolished fishermen's huts on the shore, banned meat from school meals and reversed a nearly 50-year ban on alcohol licences on the islands, where 97 per cent of the 70,000 inhabitants are Muslim.

But it is his proposed law to enable the archipelago, with its white-sand beaches, coral atolls and 97 per cent green cover, to be turned into an international tourist destination like the Maldives that has raised the greatest concern.

The Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021, which is awaiting approval from the federal government, will give the administration sweeping powers to acquire land for infrastructure projects, even without the owner’s consent.

The inhabitants of Lakshadweep, who live on 10 of its 36 islands, fear they could be evicted from their ancestral land on the pretext of development.

One section of the legislation requires landowners to declare the use of their property every three years or else face penalties of about $3,000.

“These laws are an onslaught on our culture, food habits, land rights and employment. This is our forefathers’ land and he wants us to apply for permission to live here,” said P Pookunhi Koya, a former member of parliament for the islands and convener of the Save Lakshadweep Forum.

We have a history of living here since 1500 BC and they are trying to eliminate us from the islands

"Nearly 4,000 people are out of work … [Mr Patel] has closed down animal husbandry without any compensation, razed boats and shacks of fishermen, increased stamp duty charges eight-fold and snatched whatever little powers the village councillors had," Dr Koya told The National.

Residents observed a "black day" on Monday as Mr Patel arrived for a week-long visit. Dressed in all black, they held up banners demanding his dismissal.

Mr Patel said he was there to review the "status of various ongoing development projects".

More than three dozen people have been arrested in recent weeks during protests against Mr Patel. Last week, thousands of residents organised a 12-hour hunger strike and an underwater protest with divers holding placards that read "Save Lakshadweep" and "Remove Patel".

The official's decision in January to lift the quarantine rule for visitors was followed by the first Covid-19 infections on the islands since the pandemic began. There have been more than 9,000 cases and 43 deaths since then.

As one of India’s nine Union Territories, Lakshadweep is governed directly by the federal government in New Delhi, unlike the 28 states which have locally elected administrations. The territories are run either by federally appointed administrators or locally elected governments with limited powers.

Although unelected, administrators have total control of a territory and its people. They can draft new laws that require approval only from the federal government to take effect.

Lakshadweep’s previous administrators have been technocrats or bureaucrats, whereas Mr Patel is a career politician with close ties to the prime minister.

He served as home minister of Gujarat when Mr Modi led the state’s government. Two years after Mr Modi was elected prime minister in 2014, he appointed Mr Patel as the administrator of Daman and Diu, and later that year of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, another union territory.

Mr Patel was given the additional charge of Lakshadweep after the previous administrator died of an illness.

Since taking charge, Mr Patel has also proposed a law to criminalise cow slaughter and beef consumption, a policy promoted by Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. According to a report by the National Statistical Office in 2012, more than 65 per cent of the islanders eat beef.

He has also drafted a law barring anyone with more than two children from holding seats on the islands’ village councils. Another law includes a jail term of up to one year without trial for “antisocial activities”, in a region that recorded just 89 cases of petty crime last year.

"These draconian, unilateral regulations are an attempt to invade our culture and commit atrocities against the indigenous inhabitants of the island," Muneer Manikfaan, vice president of the village council on Minicoy island, told The National.

“We have a history of living here since 1500 BC and they are trying to eliminate us from the islands."

Mr Patel said that developing the islands into a tourist attraction like the Maldives will improve the lives of locals.

“The draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation will usher in development and go a long way in improving the social and economic indicators on the islands, which have so far lagged behind despite having the potential,” he told an Indian media outlet in May.

“The islands are similar to the Maldives and we want to develop them on similar lines. We want to develop sustainable infrastructure and promote sustainable tourism,” he said.

“You see the Maldives ... tourists are waiting in a queue to visit there.”

But residents fear the sudden interest in the region is driven by crony capitalism and religious motives.

“We have never experienced such a situation before,” Dr Manikfaan said. “They have their business and political interests and communal agendas.”

Mr Patel's actions have also caused outrage among activists and politicians on the mainland.

Members of the ruling Communist Party alliance in Kerala’s state assembly passed a resolution last month calling for Mr Patel’s removal.

Rahul Gandhi, leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, expressed support for the islanders.

“Lakshadweep is India’s jewel in the ocean. The ignorant bigots in power are destroying it. I stand with the people of Lakshadweep,” he wrote on Twitter.

Wajahat Habibullah, a former administrator of Lakshadweep, said the new regulations were a complete contradiction of development norms determined over decades.

He is one of a group of 93 former bureaucrats who have urged Mr Modi to reject Mr Patel’s draft laws, saying they “constitute an onslaught on the very fabric of Lakshadweep society, economy and landscape.”

"With a fragile coral ecology, the island territories needed a distinct approach to the entire concept of their development," Mr Habibullah told The National.

“The current administrator only holds additional charge of this union territory and is only an occasional visitor. The regulations also demonstrate that he has little understanding of the development needs of the islands,” he said.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
RESULTS

Women:

55kg brown-black belt: Amal Amjahid (BEL) bt Amanda Monteiro (BRA) via choke
62kg brown-black belt: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Ffion Davies (GBR) via referee’s decision (0-0, 2-2 adv)
70kg brown-black belt: Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) bt Jessica Swanson (USA), 9-0
90kg brown-black belt: Angelica Galvao (USA) bt Marta Szarecka (POL) 8-2

Men:

62kg black belt: Joao Miyao (BRA) bt Wan Ki-chae (KOR), 7-2
69kg black belt: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Gianni Grippo (USA), 2-2 (1-0 adv)
77kg black belt: Espen Mathiesen (NOR) bt Jake Mackenzie (CAN)
85kg black belt: Isaque Braz (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE), 2-0
94kg black belt: Felipe Pena (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL), 4-0
110kg black belt final: Erberth Santos (BRA) bt Lucio Rodrigues (GBR) via rear naked choke

RESULTS

2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Masaali, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).

2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Almoreb, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Imprison, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.

3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m. Winner: Raahy, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.

4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m. Winner: Cross The Ocean, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m. Winner: Sa’Ada, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
UAE SQUAD

Khalid Essa, Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammad Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoon Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey

Directed by: Pete Doctor

Rating: 4 stars

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20(2022)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010.9-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%20IPS%20LCD%2C%202%2C360%20x%201%2C640%2C%20264ppi%2C%20wide%20colour%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20Apple%20Pencil%201%20support%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EChip%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20A14%20Bionic%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%204-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2064GB%2F256GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20iPadOS%2016%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012-megapixel%20wide%2C%20f%2F1.8%2C%205x%20digital%2C%20Smart%20HDR%203%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full%20HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20ultra-wide%2C%20f%2F2.4%2C%202x%2C%20Smart%20HDR%203%2C%20Centre%20Stage%3B%20full%20HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Stereo%20speakers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%2C%20smart%20connector%20(for%20folio%2Fkeyboard)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%2010%20hours%20on%20Wi-Fi%3B%20up%20to%209%20hours%20on%20cellular%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinish%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Blue%2C%20pink%2C%20silver%2C%20yellow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20iPad%2C%20USB-C-to-USB-C%20cable%2C%2020W%20power%20adapter%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%20%E2%80%94%20Dh1%2C849%20(64GB)%20%2F%20Dh2%2C449%20(256GB)%3B%20cellular%20%E2%80%94%20Dh2%2C449%20(64GB)%20%2F%20Dh3%2C049%20(256GB)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 

The Kites

Romain Gary

Penguin Modern Classics

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

 

 

AS%20WE%20EXIST
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US tops drug cost charts

The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.

Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.

In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.

Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol. 

The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.

High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.

MATCH INFO

Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')

Leeds United 0 

All the Money in the World

Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Charlie Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer

Four stars

What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

The specs

BMW M8 Competition Coupe

Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8

Power 625hp at 6,000rpm

Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm

Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto

Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec

Top speed 305kph

Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km

Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)

On sale Jan/Feb 2020
 

Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQureos%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E33%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESoftware%20and%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 325bhp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: Dh359,000

On sale: now 

Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier

Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August

 

Group A

Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar

Group B

UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

 

UAE group fixtures

Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran

Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait

Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi

 

UAE squad

Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Brief scores:

Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf

Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)

Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17

Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)

Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40

Who are the Soroptimists?

The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.

The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.

Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.