UAE and India deepen partnership across tourism, aviation, manufacturing and innovation
The UAE and India are expanding economic cooperation in tourism, civil aviation, advanced manufacturing and innovation, building on a trade relationship that has crossed $100 billion for the second consecutive year.
UAE and India deepen partnership across tourism, aviation, manufacturing and innovation
The UAE and India are exploring new opportunities to strengthen cooperation in tourism, civil aviation, advanced manufacturing and innovation as both countries build on one of the region's fastest-growing economic partnerships.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, held high-level meetings with senior Indian ministers and officials during an official visit to India, where discussions focused on deepening collaboration across priority sectors, expanding investment opportunities and supporting long-term economic growth.
During the visit, Bin Touq met with Piyush Goyal, India's Minister of Commerce and Industry; Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation; and Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha. His itinerary also included participation in Investopia Ahmedabad in Gujarat and a UAE-India business forum on the food sector in Andhra Pradesh.
Strong economic foundations
The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which entered into force on May 1, 2022, has driven bilateral trade to cross $100 billion for the second consecutive year in FY 2025-26, with non-oil trade now accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total. India issued 122,036 Certificates of Origin under the CEPA in FY 2024-25, representing a 24.7 per cent increase from the previous year.
India's gems and jewellery exports to the UAE surged from approximately $4.95 billion to $8.04 billion under CEPA, with plain gold jewellery exports more than doubling by 127.6 per cent to $4.24 billion in FY 2024. The UAE now accounts for nearly a quarter of India's total gem and jewellery export market.
India remains one of the UAE's most significant economic partners. The number of Indian companies operating in the UAE reached 290,222 by the end of the first half of 2026, marking annual growth of nearly 16.7 per cent. In Dubai alone, Indian businesses registered as active members of the Chamber of Commerce reached 84,088 by the end of March 2026, with 3,995 new Indian companies joining during the first quarter of 2026.
Expanding tourism and aviation ties
Tourism and aviation featured prominently in the discussions. India remains the UAE's largest source market for visitors, underpinned by close economic, commercial and people-to-people ties. Dubai welcomed 9.88 million overnight international arrivals in the first half of 2025, representing a 6 per cent increase over the same period in 2024, with India remaining a significant contributor.
The two countries are currently connected by 1,146 weekly flights operated by their national carriers, one of the world's busiest international air corridors. Air India Express recently launched new direct flights from Guwahati in Northeast India to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi in August 2026, marking the first direct air links between Northeast India and the UAE.
During talks with India's civil aviation minister, both sides explored opportunities to expand connectivity further, exchange expertise and cooperate on aviation innovation, sustainability and digital transformation.
The UAE accounts for approximately 2.3 per cent of total global international passenger traffic and 32.2 per cent of international passenger traffic at the regional level, positioning it among the world's most air-connected countries.
Manufacturing and infrastructure collaboration
Discussions with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal focused on strengthening industrial and economic cooperation, including advanced manufacturing, innovation and technology. The ministers explored opportunities to reinforce supply chain integration and support the international expansion of Emirati and Indian companies.
Both sides underlined the importance of advancing the UAE-India economic corridor and deepening integration across manufacturing, logistics and supply chains. Construction of key India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor infrastructure components, including new rail lines, ports and highways, officially began in April 2025, following an Intergovernmental Framework Agreement signed by India and the UAE in February 2024.
The corridor is projected to reduce logistics costs by up to 30 per cent and cut transportation time by around 40 per cent on routes connecting India, the Middle East and Europe, with potential to generate $21.85 billion in additional Indian exports annually.
Looking ahead
Bin Touq emphasised that UAE-India economic relations have developed into a model of strategic cooperation built on the shared vision of both countries' leadership, with partnerships spanning innovation, knowledge-based industries and sustainable growth.
During his meeting with Om Birla, Speaker of India's lower house of parliament, both sides reaffirmed the strength of the longstanding bilateral relationship and discussed expanding institutional cooperation, exchanging expertise and sharing best practices to support economic competitiveness and policy development.
