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The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry led a delegation of more than 34 companies to Mumbai for the India-UAE Business Forum organised in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry as host partner. The event at The Taj Mahal Palace brought together 114 companies from Abu Dhabi and India to explore trade, investment and joint venture opportunities while strengthening direct business ties. Dr Ali bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, First Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber, headed the delegation, which aligned with the 14th meeting of the UAE-India High Level Joint Task Force on Investments, according to the Emirates News Agency.
According to the Abu Dhabi Chamber, the forum included extensive business matchmaking sessions aimed at converting discussions into actionable partnerships across selected industries. Priority sectors encompassed manufacturing, food security and agri-tech, healthcare and pharmaceuticals as well as financial services and fintech. As of August 2026, the chamber counted 21,085 active Indian member companies, reflecting sustained interest in the emirate’s market.
Abu Dhabi Chamber figures show 4,642 new Indian membership registrations in 2025, a 38.8 per cent year-on-year increase, with compound annual growth of 44.6 per cent from 2020 to 2025. The National reported that India-UAE bilateral trade surpassed $100 billion by the end of the 2025-26 financial year, up from around $60 billion when the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force in 2022. Both countries have set a target of $200 billion in bilateral trade by 2032.
Dubai Chambers data places the emirate’s non-oil trade with India at a record $60.6 billion in 2025, a 15 per cent rise from the previous year and more than double the level of a decade earlier. The number of active Indian companies registered with Dubai Chambers reached 85,841 by the end of June 2026, a 15 per cent annual increase. India ranks as Dubai’s second-largest trading partner, the chamber’s figures show.
The expanded partnership between Abu Dhabi and Indian business communities builds on prior institutional cooperation, including agreements with the UAE-India CEPA Council to improve access to opportunities created by the trade pact. The forum also featured participation by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Discussions focused on sectors where complementary capabilities could support joint projects and market expansion.
A PwC Middle East assessment of GCC-India economic links noted the UAE as India’s third-largest trading partner overall and its second-largest export destination. Cross-border investment has grown in both directions, with Dubai alone attracting Dh32.3 billion from India between 2016 and 2025 while Dubai-based firms committed Dh34.1 billion to 147 projects in India over the same period. These developments have contributed to the creation of more than 55,000 jobs in India, according to Dubai Chambers data.
