UAE And India Explore Strategies To Maximise Benefits Of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
During a visit to Mumbai, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade, highlighted the significance of economic ties with India. He engaged in discussions with Shri Piyush Goyal, India's Minister of Industry and Commerce, and interacted with key figures from India's business sector. The focus was on strengthening the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) established in 2022.
The meeting between Al Zeyoudi and Goyal centred on CEPA's success and explored sectors that could benefit more from its market access provisions. Following this, Al Zeyoudi met stakeholders from logistics, agriculture, healthcare, and technology sectors. A business roundtable was organised by CII, FICCI, and ASSOCHAM to align priorities and boost trade and investment flows.
Al Zeyoudi emphasised the robust economic relationship between the UAE and India. He stated that face-to-face dialogue is crucial for enhancing cross-border cooperation. "This visit underlines our shared values and economic goals," he said. "The UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has been instrumental in accelerating trade and investment by enhancing access to each other’s markets."
In the first half of 2025, bilateral non-oil trade reached US$37.6 billion, marking a 33.9% increase compared to the previous year. This growth aligns with ambitious targets set in 2022. Al Zeyoudi stressed the importance of leveraging complementary strengths to create broad-based opportunities for private sectors in both nations.
As part of his visit, Al Zeyoudi attended a presentation on Bharat Mart's progress. Located in Jafza in the UAE, this 2.7 million square feet complex is managed by DP World. Bharat Mart aims to help Indian manufacturers showcase their products while using the UAE as a gateway to Middle Eastern, African, and European markets.
Exploring New Opportunities
Al Zeyoudi also participated in meetings with leaders from pharmaceutical and food industries. Discussions focused on export performance reviews, addressing existing concerns, enhancing bilateral trade, and identifying new collaboration areas. These meetings aimed at fostering stronger ties between Indian and UAE businesses.
The visit concluded with a reception dinner attended by Indian industry leaders. This event further strengthened relations and encouraged private sector collaboration between the two countries. The commitment of both nations towards sustained economic growth was evident throughout these engagements.
With inputs from WAM
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