Senior government officials, diplomats and business leaders from the United Arab Emirates and India have reaffirmed the growing strength of bilateral economic ties at a high-level forum held in Dubai. The event, titled “Strength in Resilience,” was organised by the UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter. It focused on enhancing cooperation under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and advancing the shared goal of achieving 200 billion US dollars in bilateral trade by 2032.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi highlighted that non-oil trade between the two countries exceeded 76 billion US dollars last year, marking a 17 per cent increase despite global economic challenges. He noted the UAE is connected to more than 400 cities, ports and logistics hubs worldwide, and said CEPA opens opportunities not just for bilateral trade but for companies seeking access to global markets. He also pointed to Africa as a key area for deeper UAE-India cooperation in investments, logistics and supply chains.
Indian Ambassador to the UAE Dr. Deepak Mittal said the depth of the relationship reflects strong leadership engagement between the two countries. He underlined expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, infrastructure, defence, space, green technology and critical minerals. He added that recent agreements, including CEPA signed in 2022 and the Bilateral Investment Treaty in 2024, are key drivers toward the long-term trade target.
India’s Consul General in Dubai, Satish Kumar Sivan, also attended the event along with senior representatives from trade and industry.
The council announced new research initiatives in tourism, education, consumer markets, investment in Africa and support for small and medium enterprises in CEPA implementation. Leadership changes were also announced, with Faizal Kottikollon stepping down as chair and Nilesh Ved appointed as the new chair, while Adeeb Ahamed assumed the role of co-chair.
The event concluded with a cultural performance by the youth ensemble Malhaar, featuring renditions of the national anthems of both countries.
