Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, highlighted the significance of the nation’s economic ties with India during an official visit to Mumbai. During his trip, he held bilateral discussions with Shri Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, and engaged with leading figures from the country’s business community.
Al Zeyoudi’s discussions with Goyal centred on the achievements of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into effect in 2022, and explored sectors that could capitalise further on its market access benefits. He subsequently met with stakeholders from logistics, agriculture, healthcare, and technology, and participated in a business roundtable organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). These engagements aimed to align priorities and stimulate additional trade and investment flows between the two countries.
Al Zeyoudi underlined the depth of economic ties between the UAE and India and stressed the value of in-person dialogue in strengthening cross-border collaboration. He stated, “This visit underscores our shared values and economic objectives, highlighting the untapped potential between our nations. The UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has accelerated trade and investment by improving market access, enhancing industrial productivity, and fostering collaboration in key sectors. In the first half of 2025, our bilateral non-oil trade reached US$37.6 billion, a 33.9% increase compared to the same period last year, marking significant progress toward the ambitious targets set in 2022. It is essential that we continue leveraging our complementary strengths to create broad-based opportunities for our private sectors.”
During his visit, Al Zeyoudi also attended a presentation on the progress of Bharat Mart, a 2.7 million square feet facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) operated by DP World. The complex will enable Indian manufacturers and exporters to showcase their products while leveraging the UAE’s position as a global trading hub to access markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
