UAE-India economic partnership expands from trade to logistics corridors

NEW DELHI: The UAE and the Republic of India continue to strengthen a growing strategic and economic partnership that serves as an effective model of cooperation within BRICS, underpinned by historic ties, shared interests and major projects that promote trade, investment and logistics connectivity between markets. Bilateral trade reached US$101.25 billion in the 2025-2026 financial year, marking the second consecutive year in which trade between the two countries exceeded $100 billion. The two countries aim to raise bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032. The UAE-India partnership continues to expand through a range of strategic initiatives and projects, including Bharat Mart and the Virtual Trade Corridor, alongside cooperation under the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). These initiatives are helping strengthen supply chain integration and create new routes for trade and investment flows between the two countries and global markets. The UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) holds particular significance as the first agreement of its kind concluded by the UAE. It entered into force in 2022 and has contributed to increasing the flow of goods, services and investment while expanding opportunities for the private sector in both countries. At the multilateral level, the UAE has been a full member of BRICS since January 2024 and is also a member of the New Development Bank, further strengthening its contribution to economic and financial cooperation among BRICS countries. The 18th BRICS Summit opened today, Saturday, 12th September, in the Indian capital, New Delhi, and will continue for two days under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", as India holds the group’s presidency in a year marking the 20th anniversary of BRICS. The growing UAE-India partnership, reflected in expanding trade, increasingly integrated logistics corridors and cooperation in investment and innovation, provides a practical model of the UAE’s role within BRICS and its commitment to exchanging expertise and perspectives and building more integrated and sustainable economic partnerships.