CEPA's impact on the India-UAE economic corridor highlighted

In a landmark step to further strengthen the India-UAE economic partnership, a high-level closed-door meeting hosted by the UAE-India Business Council - UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) was convened on Friday in Dubai, bringing together top officials and business leaders from both nations.

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The meeting was attended by Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, and Piyush Goyal, Commerce and Industry Minister, Government of India, underscoring the strategic importance both governments place on deepening bilateral economic ties.

A central focus of the discussions was the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and its transformative impact on the India-UAE economic corridor. In the first half of 2025 alone, the agreement enabled a record $37.6 billion in non-oil bilateral trade-a 33.9% increase over the same period last year.

CEPA’s success has extended well beyond trade volumes, driving sectoral diversification with strong growth in areas such as gems and jewellery, food processing, telecom, green energy, and digital services.

Moreover, CEPA has catalysed new collaboration across emerging sectors including artificial intelligence, space technology, sustainability, and financial integration, significantly expanding the strategic scope of the partnership. Indian states are increasingly leveraging CEPA to attract targeted investments, integrate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) into global value chains, and accelerate exports, reflecting the deepening synergy between India and the UAE on both economic and strategic fronts.