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Saudi Arabia Opens Middle East’s Largest Water Desalination Membrane Plant

Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz inaugurates the project at a ceremony in the Eastern Province (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz inaugurates the project at a ceremony in the Eastern Province (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Opens Middle East’s Largest Water Desalination Membrane Plant

Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz inaugurates the project at a ceremony in the Eastern Province (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz inaugurates the project at a ceremony in the Eastern Province (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Eastern Province Governor Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday inaugurated the Toray Membrane Middle East Factory in Dammam’s Third Industrial City, the largest facility for water desalination membrane technologies in the Middle East.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng.Abdulrahman Alfadley , President of the Saudi Water Authority (SWA) Eng. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkarim, CEO of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al-Samari, and several senior officials from the public and private sectors.

Prince Saud said the launch of the new factory reflects the government’s strong commitment to localizing advanced industries and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s presence in high-tech sectors.

He added that the project marks a key step toward achieving industrial self-sufficiency and transferring advanced knowledge and technologies to national talent.

He noted that the water and industrial sectors continue to receive substantial attention from the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, through enabling high-value investments and fostering an environment conducive to innovation.

The governor said the Eastern Province, with its advanced infrastructure and strong industrial base, will remain a key driver in achieving Saudi Arabia’s economic and industrial development goals under Vision 2030.

The new factory is a joint venture between Abunayyan Holding and Japan’s Toray Industries, with an investment exceeding 1 billion riyals.

It is Toray’s second plant of its kind outside Japan and has a production capacity of 300,000 membranes annually. The facility will provide more than 175 jobs for Saudis, with a localization rate of 70 %, targeted to reach a minimum of 75 %.

The plant is expected to position the Kingdom as a regional hub for membrane and desalination technologies through six integrated production lines that meet local and Gulf market demand, enhance the competitiveness of national industries, and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s standing as a global source for advanced water technologies.

The project aims to localize the production of reverse osmosis membranes used in water desalination, transfer advanced technologies to support Saudi Arabia’s water and industrial security, and help achieve the objectives of Vision 2030.

It also seeks to boost local content and improve the efficiency of national supply chains by localizing 72 % of manufacturing inputs, cutting supply times by 53 %, and reducing energy consumption by 4 to 5 %. The project is expected to improve the trade balance by more than 135 million riyals annually and contribute around 1.14 billion riyals to the national economy over eight years.

SWA President Al-Abdulkarim said the project represents a leading example of integration between the water and industrial sectors in achieving economic and water sustainability goals.

He added that the factory is a cornerstone in localizing advanced desalination technologies and enhancing the Kingdom’s capacity to lead the global water sector through innovation and development of supporting industries.

For his part, Al-Samari said the factory’s inauguration follows an agreement to localize the reverse osmosis membrane industry signed between his authority, the Saudi Water Authority, and Toray Membrane Middle East.

He noted that the factory is one of the key projects contributing to raising local content in the water and industrial sectors, with a production capacity of 300,000 membranes annually covering all manufacturing stages.

Khaled Abunayyan, Chairman of Toray Membrane Middle East, affirmed the company’s commitment to knowledge transfer and developing local talent through a dedicated research and development unit in cooperation with the Research and Development Center for Advanced Technologies.

The unit aims to design the next generation of membranes that improve energy efficiency, enhance environmental resilience, and extend product lifespan.

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Business

Saudi Arabia Consolidates Its Position Among the World’s Top 20 Economies in 2026

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 
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Saudi Arabia Consolidates Its Position Among the World’s Top 20 Economies in 2026

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 

As the global financial landscape is reshaped by accelerating geopolitical shifts, economic data show that Saudi Arabia has firmly consolidated its place among the world’s 20 largest economies in 2026.

This standing reflects the success of Vision 2030 in diversifying income sources and expanding gross domestic product. The Kingdom ranks 19th globally, outperforming several long-established economies, with GDP projected at $1.316 trillion.

According to data based on International Monetary Fund reports released in October 2025, the global economy is expected to reach $123.6 trillion in 2026. Economic power remains highly concentrated, with the world’s five largest economies accounting for more than 55 percent of total global output:

United States: Continues to lead with GDP of $31.8 trillion, supported by a resilient labor market and sustained consumer spending, with real growth projected at 2.1 percent.

China: Ranks second with an estimated GDP of $20.7 trillion, despite demographic challenges and its transition toward advanced manufacturing.

Germany: Retains Europe’s top position in third place with GDP of $5.3 trillion, despite pressure from high energy costs.

India: The “rising star,” securing fourth place globally with GDP of $4.5 trillion and posting the fastest growth among major economies at 6.2 percent.

Japan: Slips to fifth place with GDP of $4.4 trillion, facing demographic headwinds despite strengths in robotics and automotive industries.

Linked to recent IMF assessments, Saudi Arabia stands out as a key pillar in what experts describe as a new “economic geography.” While many emerging markets have struggled with interest-rate volatility and inflation distortions in advanced economies - particularly the United States - the Kingdom has demonstrated a strong ability to absorb external shocks.

The IMF views Saudi Arabia’s large-scale investments in high-potential sectors not merely as a driver of domestic growth, but as part of a broader global shift in capital flows toward destinations offering stability and long-term attractiveness.

The data also underscore the strong performance of other economies on the list. Brazil ranks 11th with GDP exceeding $2.2 trillion, while Türkiye and Indonesia continue to compete closely in 16th and 17th place, respectively.

 

 

Business

Saudi Industrial Production Index Records Highest Growth Since Early 2023

A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)
A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)
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Saudi Industrial Production Index Records Highest Growth Since Early 2023

A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)
A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)

Saudi Arabia’s Industrial Production Index posted a year-on-year increase of 10.4 percent in November 2025, compared with the same month a year earlier, marking its highest growth rate since the beginning of 2023, according to preliminary data. On a monthly basis, however, the index declined by 0.7 percent.

Data released by the General Authority for Statistics on Sunday showed that the index for oil-related activities rose by 12.9 percent year on year in November, while the index for non-oil activities increased by 4.4 percent compared with the same month of the previous year.

Month on month, the index for oil activities recorded a rise of 0.5 percent, while the non-oil activities index fell by 3.4 percent compared with October 2025.

In November, the sub-index for mining and quarrying activities climbed 12.6 percent year on year, driven by higher oil production during the month. Saudi oil output rose to 10.1 million barrels per day, compared with 8.9 million barrels per day in November last year.

On a monthly basis, the mining and quarrying sub-index also increased by 0.5 percent.

The manufacturing sub-index recorded an annual rise of 8.1 percent, supported by a 14.5 percent increase in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products, as well as a 10.9 percent rise in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products.

In monthly terms, preliminary results showed the manufacturing sub-index edged up by 0.3 percent, buoyed by a 0.3 percent increase in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products and a 1.0 percent rise in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products.

As for other activities, the sub-index for electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply fell by 4.3 percent year on year. In contrast, the sub-index for water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities rose by 10.2 percent compared with November last year.

Compared with October 2025, the electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply sub-index dropped sharply by 28.6 percent, while the water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sub-index declined by 3.1 percent.

Business

India and Germany Sign Deals to Deepen Economic and Security Ties

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a joint statement to the media in Gandhinagar, India, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a joint statement to the media in Gandhinagar, India, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP)
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India and Germany Sign Deals to Deepen Economic and Security Ties

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a joint statement to the media in Gandhinagar, India, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a joint statement to the media in Gandhinagar, India, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met on Monday in western Gujarat state to push for deeper economic and security ties between the South Asian nation and Europe’s largest economy.

Modi and Merz held talks in the city of Gandhinagar, where the two countries signed various agreements to enhance cooperation in the defense sector, skill development, health and education, as both nations seek to reduce dependence on China and bolster economic ties.

After the bilateral talks, Modi noted that Germany is India’s most important trading partner in the European Union and said both leaders were seeking to expand those ties.

He said the two countries are pursuing new projects in areas such as climate action, energy and mining of rare earth elements, and have also agreed on a road map to boost cooperation between their defense industries for joint development and production.

“We want to elevate the relations between India and Germany to an even higher level,” Modi said.

Germany has not traditionally had close defense ties with India, but the two sides have been trying to boost cooperation in the sector. Germany’s Thyssenkrupp is expected to partner with Indian firms to build six advanced conventional submarines in India, part of New Delhi’s ongoing efforts to modernize its naval capabilities.

Merz said India and Germany share “tremendous economic potential,” and the two countries are working together to strengthen ties in the field of security policy and defense cooperation.

“India is a desired partner, a partner of choice for Germany,” Merz said, according to a live official translation. He added that negotiations on a free trade agreement between India and the EU need to be concluded to fully realize the potential of economic ties between the two countries.

The two sides also signed an agreement that makes it easier for Indians to work in Germany's health care sector.

Merz’s visit to India — also his first to an Asian country since he took office last year — comes ahead of a planned India-EU summit later this month, where leaders hope to make progress on a long-pending free trade agreement. India hopes to deepen economic engagement with Europe in the face of US tariff rates of 50%.

During his visit, Merz toured the Sabarmati Ashram, once home to independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, and attended the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati riverfront. Modi and Merz flew kites during the event.