New Delhi, Nov. 2 -- A little over a year after its $2.7 billion majority acquisition of RBL Bank, UAE-based Emirates NBD is looking to deepen its India presence, including scouting for minority investments in Indian startups through its venture capital platform.

Neeraj Makin, group head of strategy, analytics and venture capital at Emirates NBD and an RBL Bank board member, discusses the rationale of the acquisition, the bank's India ambitions and its next phase of growth in an interview to Mint. Edited excerpts:

India is one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world, with a population of approximately 1.4-1.5 billion.

From a UAE perspective, the relationship with India is particularly significant. Indians account for about ...