Bank of Baroda, the only Indian financial institution in the UAE, stresses on personal relationship to build lasting partnership with customers. Bank of Baroda executive director Papia Sengupta said in the age of Internet banking, personal touch is still required for business and makes a lot of difference in the long run.

"Digital banking is there for ease but personal relationship is developed through emotions and sentiments. Our tagline itself says - banking on your future. We may not be very technologically competent as some other global banks but back in India we are doing fine. We are trying to be at par with all of the banks. We are also investing a lot on Artificial Intelligence and analytics," she said after inauguration of the branch post relocation to Al Jazira Tower on Hamdan Street in Abu Dhabi

"We offer much better location and ambiance here. We wanted to give customer a feel good factor. A customer can come with any financial issue and we will have a solution for you. We assure a complete financial package."

'Merger to boost customer base'
Papia noted merger with Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will create a lot of synergy. "We will become a pan-India bank with more presence in the south. The trinity will become a force to reckon with. Overseas, there will be many customers of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank who was having relationship outside will now come to us. So that overseas customer base will increase. As of now we haven't planned any further expansion but will wait and see how things unfold," she added.

Supporting Indian community
Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri, who opened the new facility, said the bank has done an outstanding job of serving the needs of the Indian community, especially businessmen.

"This bright and elegantly designed facility in the heart of Abu Dhabi will go a long way in meeting the needs of their customer base and enhance the brand," the ambassador said.

Businessman and community leader B.R. Shetty said it was Bank of Baroda, which is the reason behind all his success. "I came to this country with lot of loan back home. I wanted to start a pharma company but it was difficult to get banks to support me here. It was then Bank of Baroda chairman P.S. Shenoy who helped me. I never had a need to go to anyone else for finances. " Shetty said.