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The Emirates News Agency reported that the 14th meeting of the India-UAE High Level Joint Task Force on Investments took place in Mumbai on Monday, co-chaired by H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Piyush Goyal, India’s minister of commerce and industry. Participants examined the work of subcommittees under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and discussed measures to expand bilateral investment flows in emerging sectors. The discussions built on recent high-level visits, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the UAE in May and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi’s visit to India earlier this month.
Bilateral trade reached $101.25 billion in fiscal year 2025-26, with non-oil commerce hitting $76.2 billion in 2025, according to figures cited by the Emirates News Agency. These numbers reflect the ongoing impact of the trade agreement that has steadily strengthened commercial relations since its implementation. Both delegations reaffirmed their joint ambition to scale bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032 through coordinated efforts in energy, infrastructure, technology and artificial intelligence.
The task force welcomed several significant recent transactions, the news agency stated. Emirates NBD completed an approximately $3 billion acquisition of a majority stake in RBL Bank, while International Holding Company invested $1 billion in Sammaan Capital. A joint investment intent worth $11.5 billion was also noted for an integrated aluminium complex in Odisha, alongside plans for bank branches in GIFT City by entities including Mashreq Bank and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
According to the Emirates News Agency, both sides noted the anticipated launch of an Invest India office in the UAE before the end of 2026 and reviewed progress on a food park project in Gujarat. Discussions extended to aviation connectivity, logistics opportunities in Dholera and central bank collaboration on local-currency settlement, payment systems and digital currencies. The fast-track mechanism for resolving investor concerns received continued emphasis during the session.
A report in Business Standard quoted Piyush Goyal saying the UAE had signalled intent to invest another $25 billion in India in the near term, with an ultimate objective of taking total investments to $100 billion. The minister outlined six areas for shipping sector cooperation, including ship ownership, port development, manufacturing, repair, breaking and container production, for which a joint working group will be established. Additional focus areas included space technology, food security, agri-innovation, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and fintech.
The meeting continues a pattern established since the task force was formed in 2013 to promote trade, investment and economic ties while addressing investor challenges, an ANI dispatch from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry indicated. Earlier sessions have tracked steady growth in non-oil trade and the ratification of the bilateral investment treaty that took effect in 2024. Officials from relevant government bodies, investment entities and companies from both countries attended the latest gathering in Mumbai.
