{"id":89712,"date":"2026-05-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/?p=89712"},"modified":"2026-05-18T10:25:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T10:25:45","slug":"this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/","title":{"rendered":"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Good<\/strong><strong> afternoon, folks.<\/strong> We are bringing you a packed issue today, dominated by headlines from Modi\u2019s multi-country visit, with the UAE leading the pack.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>The big story today: <\/strong>The India-UAE economic relationship continues to deepen as Modi\u2019s visit unlocks a bag of agreements spanning defense, tech, AI, and energy cooperation. Meanwhile, Emirates NBD is in the last leg of completing its acquisition of RBL Bank.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Plus: <\/strong>Tata Group is charging ahead with its aggressive push into domestic semiconductor manufacturing to secure the tech supply chain. On the geopolitical front, we look at New Delhi's delicate balancing act as it navigates its leadership role within the Brics bloc amid global headwinds. Let\u2019s dive right in.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">\n<hr style=\"height:2px;border-width:0;color:gray;background-color:gray\">\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/791.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">In a market defined by geopolitical risk, inflation, currency volatility, and declining interest rates, knowing how to manage your money has never been more important, and yet few people are really good at it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">The default in Egypt has traditionally been to dollarize, buy real estate, or stash your extra cash in a high-yield certificate of deposit, but that playbook is dying.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">With an illiquid real estate market, the era of ultra-high-yield deposits coming to an end, and a rapidly expanding ecosystem of digital investment options, investors are looking for new, smarter opportunities.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">In this four-part series, <strong>EnterpriseAM Money Matters<\/strong> will walk you through smart personal finance decisions regardless of your age, income, or starting point.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sub.ent.news\/eg\/\" style=\"\">Subscribe to our Egypt edition<\/a> and take the first step toward making your money work harder, delivered to your inbox soon.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">\n<hr style=\"height:2px;border-width:0;color:gray;background-color:gray\">\n<p class=\"tag-border-left\">Watch this space <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"> <a id=\"wwtt2\"><\/a> <strong>M&A WATCH \u2014 <\/strong><strong>Emirates<\/strong><strong> NBD\u2019s takeover of RBL Bank almost across th<\/strong><strong>e finish <\/strong><strong>line: <\/strong>Emirates NBD has secured all regulatory and governmental approvals required to complete its planned acquisition of a controlling stake in India\u2019s private-sector lender RBL Bank, following final clearance from the Indian government, the Dubai lender <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/919.pdf\" style=\"\">stated (pdf)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>REFRESHER- <\/strong>Emirates NBD has been pursuing the stake since last year, though the transaction faced <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/uae\/2026\/02\/04\/this-morning-emirates-nbds-60-rbl-takeover-needs-fresh-approval-the-dubai-loop-will-be-bigger-than-we-thought\/\" style=\"\">regulatory friction<\/a> and change-of-control reviews earlier this year. India\u2019s central bank then last month approved the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/uae\/2026\/04\/03\/emirates-nbd-is-one-step-closer-to-acquiring-rbl-bank\/\" style=\"\">takeover of up to 74% of RBL<\/a>, but voting rights would be capped at 26%. It was pending approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the country\u2019s capital markets watchdog, at the time.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Post-takeover: <\/strong>The roughly USD 3 bn transaction would make Emirates NBD the first foreign lender to take majority control of a profitable listed Indian bank. Structured through a preferential equity issue, the acquisition is expected to leave Emirates NBD with 51-74% of RBL\u2019s share capital and eventually <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/uae\/2026\/02\/19\/this-morning-emirates-nbd-looks-to-fold-india-branches-into-rbl-adnoc-reportedly-exits-india-refinery-project\/\" style=\"\">fold its India branches<\/a> in Mumbai, Chennai, and Gurugram into RBL.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">\n<hr style=\"height:2px;border-width:0;color:gray;background-color:gray\">\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>ENERGY<\/strong><strong> \u2014 <\/strong><strong>A Suezmax tanker carrying Iraqi crude is headed toward India after crossing the Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2026-05-16\/hormuz-tracker-suezmax-tanker-with-iraqi-crude-reaches-india?srnd=phx-india-v2\" style=\"\">Bloomberg<\/a> reports, citing vessel-tracking data from Kpler. Karolos, with a capacity of 1 mn barrels, loaded crude at Basra last week and later appeared in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel is currently sailing along India\u2019s western coast and could dock at Sikka port in Gujarat, where India\u2019s largest private refinery Reliance Industries takes deliveries of energy shipments, according to the latest information on <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marinetraffic.com\/en\/ais\/details\/ships\/shipid:754044\/mmsi:636013381\/imo:9410208\/vessel:KAROLOS\" style=\"\">Marine Traffic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tag-border-left\">Iran, UAE conundrum for Brics<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"> <a id=\"wwtt1\"><\/a> <strong>The <\/strong><strong>Brics<\/strong><strong> foreign ministers\u2019 meeting exposed the same fault line now running through the Middle East. <\/strong>Foreign ministers from the bloc ended two days of talks in New Delhi without a joint statement after Iran and the UAE split over the framing of the war in Iran, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/china\/india-issues-chair-statement-after-brics-meeting-amid-differences-over-gulf-2026-05-15\/\" style=\"\">Reuters<\/a> reports. India, which chairs Brics in 2026, issued only a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mea.gov.in\/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl%2F41144%2FChairs_Statement_and_Outcome_Document_at_BRICS_Foreign_Ministers_Meeting_May_15_2026\" style=\"\">chair\u2019s statement and outcome document<\/a>, saying members had \u201cdiffering views\u201d on the Middle East crisis.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>The split: <\/strong>Iran wanted Brics to condemn the US-Israeli war on Iran and accused the UAE of direct involvement in military operations. The UAE rejected the charge and said Iran had repeatedly targeted civilian and critical infrastructure during the war. The result was a diplomatic stalemate within the bloc over a joint statement.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Why it matters: <\/strong>The UAE accused Iran of obstructing maritime routes, including Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2026-05-14\/india-faces-challenge-of-bridging-brics-rift-over-iran-war\" style=\"\">India\u2019s own framing reflected that risk<\/a>: Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said safe flows through Hormuz and the Red Sea remain vital for global economic well-being.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>India\u2019s balancing act: <\/strong>Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the UAE on Friday and condemned the attacks on the Gulf country, saying the way the UAE was targeted was \u201cunacceptable in any form.\u201d That leaves India trying to manage two tracks at once: chairing a divided Brics platform while protecting energy, shipping, and trade flows through a corridor where two Brics members are now on opposite sides of the conflict.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">\n<p class=\"tag-border-left\">Heightened scrutiny on overseas investments <\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"> <a id=\"wwtt3\"><\/a> <strong>The<\/strong><strong> Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is tightening oversight of outbound capital as foreign exchange pressures mount<\/strong>, questioning whether overseas direct investments (ODI) are flowing into bona fide businesses, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/economictimes.indiatimes.com\/news\/economy\/finance\/rbi-tightens-scrutiny-of-overseas-investments-as-outflows-surgeto-27-billion-in-fy26\/articleshow\/131161162.cms\" style=\"\">Economic Times<\/a> reports. The central bank has sought detailed disclosures on intent, governance structures, and future plans for overseas entities where Indian firms have made investments.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Outflows surge, red flags emerge:<\/strong> Under current rules, an Indian entity can automatically remit up to 400% of its net worth annually for bona fide business. The scale of these flows has raised concerns over fund utilization, particularly as India faces currency pressures and seeks to conserve its forex.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Why it matters:<\/strong> ODI climbed from USD 14.5 bn in FY 2024 to USD 27 bn in FY 2026, with the UAE, the US, and Singapore serving as the primary channels. Regulators are specifically hunting for special purpose vehicles in Dubai and Singapore used by Indian companies to park earnings, dividends, or fees offshore rather than repatriating them to India.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>IN CONTEXT- <\/strong>The RBI has <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/15\/india-moves-to-multi-pronged-energy-solution-gulf-bypass-to-secure-lpg-oil-storage-and-lng-amid-hormuz-blockade\/\" style=\"\">sold FX reserves<\/a> and used regulatory measures to slow the INR\u2019s fall. The RBI has also <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/15\/this-afternoon-mubadala-backed-manipal-hospitals-gears-up-for-usd-1-bn-listing\/\" style=\"\">recommended reducing taxes levied on foreign investors<\/a> holding sovereign bonds \u2014 a proposal being actively mulled by the Finance Ministry \u2014 as policymakers seek to align with global norms and attract capital inflows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tag-border-left\"> FPI outflow is also hitting highs <\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>INVESTMENT \u2014 <\/strong><strong>Foreign<\/strong><strong> portfolio investors (FPIs) have accelerated their exit from Indian equities, offloading a record USD 22.9 bn <\/strong><strong>YTD<\/strong>, as per data from <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fpi.nsdl.co.in\/web\/Reports\/Monthly.aspx\" style=\"\">National Securities Depository Limited<\/a>. FPIs have been net sellers in every month of 2026 except February \u2014 which saw inflows of USD 27.1 bn, the highest in 17 months \u2014 before the Iran war soured the sentiment again.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>By the numbers: <\/strong>This capital flight has already eclipsed the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/india\/four-months-foreign-outflows-indian-shares-top-last-years-peak-2026-04-29\/\" style=\"\">USD 18.9 bn<\/a> pulled out during the entirety of 2025. The selling was heaviest in March, which saw an unprecedented single-month dump of USD 12.1 bn as ripple effects of the Iran war expanded to the Indian economy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Why it matters: <\/strong>The relentless selling pressure has combined with a widening merchandise trade deficit to hammer the local currency. The INR, which started the year at 90 against the greenback, breached 96 to hit a historic intraday <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/business\/markets\/rupee-falls-to-record-low-against-us-dollar\/article70992484.ece\" style=\"\">low<\/a> of 96.25 per USD today. Global asset managers are actively <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/04\/22\/moodys-flags-macro-strain-as-growth-seen-slowing-to-6\/\" style=\"\">trimming Indian positions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Also driving the slide: <\/strong>While capital continues to flow into AI-focused companies, funds are being diverted from India \u2014 viewed as a relative tech laggard, VK Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist at Geojit Investments, told <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/business\/markets\/fpis-pull-out-27000-crore-in-may-2026-outflows-hit-22-lakh-crore-mark\/article70989730.ece\" style=\"\">Hindu Businessline<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tag-border-left\">Data point <\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>INR<\/strong><strong> 80 tn (USD 836 bn) \u2014 that is the amount of investment India\u2019s urban infrastructure will need by 2037 to support urbanization and economic growth<\/strong>, according to a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1072.pdf\" style=\"\">Brickwork Ratings report (pdf)<\/a>. Urban areas are expected to contribute nearly 70% of India\u2019s GDP by 2036, requiring private sector funding to support infrastructure development.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">\n<p class=\"tag-border-left\"> The big story abroad<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>We got a raft of business and geopolitical updates this morning.<\/strong> The US and Iran seem no closer to a final resolution, with US President Donald Trump <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116590914302000241\" style=\"\">warning<\/a> Tehran that \u201cthe clock is ticking.\u201d Iranian media claims that Washington has demanded the removal of the nation\u2019s uranium stockpile without proposing tangible concessions in return. A drone strike on the UAE\u2019s Barakah nuclear power plant has heightened tensions in the region.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Meanwhile, in the world of M&A:<\/strong> French advertising group Publicis Groupe <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/fa33f1b3-ea8b-474b-9f75-a70536c8d2cb?syn-25a6b1a6=1\" style=\"\">is acquiring<\/a> data collaboration company LiveRamp in a USD 2.2 bn transaction to expand its foothold in the AI marketing space. The move will allow the group to create proprietary data for clients and develop intelligent AI agents.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>And on Wall Street: <\/strong>Investors are <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/bond-yield-spike-is-risk-unprepared-equities-market-investors-warn-2026-05-17\/\" style=\"\">sounding the alarm<\/a> over an apparent market paradox, where bullish sentiment prevails in stocks while bond yields rise sharply, leading some to believe that a drastic shift is overdue. Despite positive market sentiment over robust first-quarter earnings and AI-related developments, higher yields portend costlier corporate spending while offering a safe haven that could draw investors away from equities.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12 subscribe-box-panel\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"title\">\n<h4 class=\"fw-lighter mb-10\">   Get <b style=\"font-weight: 700\">Enterprise<\/b> daily   <\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-10\">The roundup of news and trends that move your markets and shape corporate agendas delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n<p>  <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/egypt\/en\/user\/NewsLetters\" type=\"button \" class=\"btn-green px-3 d-flex align-items-center\">Subscribe here<\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">***<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>YOU\u2019RE READING EnterpriseAM MENA - India, your C-suite briefing<\/strong> on the movement of trade, investment, people, and ideas along one of the world\u2019s most exciting corridors. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2:30pm UAE, we dive deep into the business, finance, economy, and policy headlines and trendlines that will move markets and set the tone for your day. <\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Were you forwarded this briefing? <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/newsletters\/\" style=\"\">Tap or click here to sign up without charge for your own<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/newsletters\/\" style=\"\">copy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">***<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\">\n<p class=\"tag-border-left\"> Circle your calendar<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1.15;orphans:2;widows:2;text-align:left\"><strong>Check out our full calendar on the web<\/strong> for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays, and news triggers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plus: RBI tightens outbound checks as FX pressure builds<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_primary_brand":0,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2403],"tags":[2494,2821,2493,2966,2402,2615,2401],"brand":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"class_list":["post-89712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-what-were-tracking-today","tag-banking","tag-brics","tag-emirates-nbd","tag-energy-security","tag-enterpriseam-india","tag-rbi","tag-what-were-tracking-today","wpautop","entry"],"acf":{"mongo_id":"9d89e7f7-ba61-4e03-86a1-7c484b60bbea","order":"2","is_powered_by":false,"story_type":"4","photo_url":"https:\/\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg","photo_position":"above","homepage_title":"","full_issue_title":"Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war","related_issue":[89710],"teaser":"Plus: RBI tightens outbound checks as FX pressure builds"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war - MENA India Corridors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Plus: RBI tightens outbound checks as FX pressure builds\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MENA India Corridors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-18T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-18T10:25:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"enterpriseam admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"enterpriseam admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"enterpriseam admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/person\/ca597032db7e4db868359c123cec256d\"},\"headline\":\"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-18T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-18T10:25:45+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/\"},\"wordCount\":1561,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"BANKING\",\"BRICS\",\"Emirates NBD\",\"Energy Security\",\"EnterpriseAM India\",\"RBI\",\"WHAT WE\u2019RE TRACKING TODAY\"],\"articleSection\":[\"WHAT WE\u2019RE TRACKING TODAY\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/\",\"name\":\"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war - MENA India Corridors\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-18T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-18T10:25:45+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/\",\"name\":\"EnterpriseAM-MENA-India-Corridor\",\"description\":\"The State of the Nation\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#organization\",\"name\":\"EnterpriseAM-MENA-India-Corridor\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ent.news\/internal\/84573.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/ent.news\/internal\/84573.svg\",\"caption\":\"EnterpriseAM-MENA-India-Corridor\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/person\/ca597032db7e4db868359c123cec256d\",\"name\":\"enterpriseam admin\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/enterpriseam.testing.projectsarea.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/author\/enterpriseam\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war - MENA India Corridors","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war","og_description":"Plus: RBI tightens outbound checks as FX pressure builds","og_url":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/","og_site_name":"MENA India Corridors","article_published_time":"2026-05-18T00:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-18T10:25:45+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"enterpriseam admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"enterpriseam admin","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/"},"author":{"name":"enterpriseam admin","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/person\/ca597032db7e4db868359c123cec256d"},"headline":"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war","datePublished":"2026-05-18T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-18T10:25:45+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/"},"wordCount":1561,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1","keywords":["BANKING","BRICS","Emirates NBD","Energy Security","EnterpriseAM India","RBI","WHAT WE\u2019RE TRACKING TODAY"],"articleSection":["WHAT WE\u2019RE TRACKING TODAY"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/","url":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/","name":"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war - MENA India Corridors","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1","datePublished":"2026-05-18T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-18T10:25:45+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/2026\/05\/18\/this-afternoon-emirates-nbd-advances-rbl-takeover-brics-splits-over-iran-war\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"THIS AFTERNOON: Emirates NBD advances RBL takeover; Brics splits over Iran war"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#website","url":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/","name":"EnterpriseAM-MENA-India-Corridor","description":"The State of the Nation","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#organization","name":"EnterpriseAM-MENA-India-Corridor","url":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ent.news\/internal\/84573.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ent.news\/internal\/84573.svg","caption":"EnterpriseAM-MENA-India-Corridor"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/#\/schema\/person\/ca597032db7e4db868359c123cec256d","name":"enterpriseam admin","sameAs":["http:\/\/enterpriseam.testing.projectsarea.com"],"url":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/author\/enterpriseam\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"enterpriseam admin","author_link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/author\/enterpriseam\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ent.news\/2026\/5\/1076.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89741,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89712\/revisions\/89741"}],"acf:post":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issue\/89710"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89712"},{"taxonomy":"brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/brand?post=89712"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/mena-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=89712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}