IIT-Madras to establish applied AI innovation centre in Dubai
Chennai (PTI): IIT-Madras’s Global Research Foundation will establish its "first Applied AI Innovation Centre" at Dubai CommerCity to boost technology-led economic growth, officials said on Wednesday.
In its initial phase, the centre will host six applied AI startups with a combined valuation of around USD 118 million and projected revenues of USD 281 million over the next five years, according to a press release.
The initiative is being facilitated by MCA Gulf, a strategic partner of IITM Global in Dubai, the release added.
The centre aims to position Dubai as a regional and global hub for applied AI innovation, enabling solutions to be developed, deployed, and scaled through a long-term platform focused on sustainable innovation and value creation.
Prof Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean of Global Engagement at IIT-Madras, said the launch marks a pivotal step in globalising the institute’s research.
“The initiative bridges academic breakthroughs with industrial scale to drive human-centric AI while establishing a strategic corridor for AI solutions anchored in safety and governance,” he added.
Amna Lootah, Director-General of Dubai CommerCity and Dubai Airport Freezone, said the MoU marks a strategic milestone in advancing the free zone’s role in digital trade.
She noted that the initiative strengthens the India-UAE technology corridor under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
Thirumalai Madhavnarayan, CEO of IITM Global, said the agreement operationalises the technology corridor and establishes a high-velocity ecosystem in Dubai that accelerates market access for startups.
The IITM Global Research Foundation (also referred to as IITM Global) is a strategic initiative launched by the IIT-Madras on January 2, by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
Dubai CommerCity is a leading free zone dedicated to digital commerce in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
The Memorandum of Understanding for the centre was signed on the sidelines of WORLDEF Dubai 2026, held from February 12 to 14, and inaugurated by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee.
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Top US counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war, says Iran posed no imminent threat
Washington (AP): Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration's war in Iran.
Kent said on social media Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
There was no immediate comment from the White House.
Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote.
As head of the National Counterterrorism Centre, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analysing and detecting terrorist threats.
Before entering President Donald Trump's administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing 11 deployments as a Green Beret, followed by work at the CIA.
Democrats strongly opposed Kent's confirmation, pointing to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from a variety of far-right figures.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent also refused to distance himself from a conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the January 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, as well as false claims that Trump, a Republican, won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden.
Democrats grilled Kent on his participation in a group chat on Signal that was used by Trump's national security team to discuss sensitive military plans.
Still, Republicans praised Kent's counterterrorism qualifications, pointing to his military and intelligence experience.
Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chair of the intelligence committee, said in a floor speech that Kent had "dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe.”
