MUMBAI – A prominent Saudi Arabian investor has positioned India as a peer competitor to China, citing its vast resources and execution capabilities, while calling for critical financial reforms to bolster its small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. The remarks were delivered by Ali Abdulla Ahmed Al Amoudi, Principal and co-founder of Al Almoudi Holdings, during the Global Economic Cooperation 2026 forum organized by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
Al Amoudi articulated a robustly optimistic outlook for the Indian economy, describing it as a nation of ‘monumental opportunity’ equipped with the essential trinity for success: financial capital, an extensive workforce, and strategic know-how. ‘India possesses the necessary know-how and its people truly understand how to execute large-scale ambitions,’ he stated, forecasting the country’s continued ascent to a global standing comparable to China’s.
However, his analysis included a crucial caveat. The executive identified prohibitively high interest rates as a significant impediment to inclusive growth. Expressing surprise that Indian SMEs face borrowing rates between 15-18%, Al Amoudi argued that such margins stifle expansion and prevent smaller companies from contributing to national infrastructure projects. He issued a compelling call to action for financial institutions to offer low-interest financing, asserting that supporting SMEs is fundamental to ensuring a healthy and stable national economy.
The dialogue also underscored the deepening symbiotic economic relationship between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations and India. Al Amoudi highlighted the reciprocal nature of this partnership, noting that while a vast Indian workforce supports the Gulf economy, Saudi and other GCC investors are increasingly channeling capital into Indian infrastructure. This dynamic, he suggested, is evolving from a history of joint ventures into long-term strategic partnerships.
A significant shift in Gulf investment strategy was also outlined. Al Amoudi indicated that after a period of substantial internal investment, such as the hundreds of billions deployed in Dubai and the UAE, the region is now positioned to export its expertise and technical ‘know-how’ to partner nations. ‘We no longer view ourselves strictly as investors, but as partners,’ he explained, emphasizing that in an era of available capital, the true challenge lies in forming alliances based on mutual economic interest and expertise, rather than political benefit.
Concluding with a macro-economic perspective, the businessman framed infrastructure investment as a non-optional imperative for global economic stability. He posited that nations are interconnected components of a global whole, and investing in each other’s critical infrastructure—from airports to hospitals—is essential for fostering future trade partners and ensuring collective prosperity.