Getaway to the UAE: Delhi roadshow charts India’s next leap into global markets

As India’s export market expands, with total annual exports hitting a record $863.1 billion, more Indian enterprises are looking beyond shipping products overseas towards establishing a physical presence in international markets. For such companies, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is being positioned not simply as an end market, but as a strategic base from where they can serve customers across the GCC, Middle East, Africa, and other global geographies.

It is at this inflection point that the UAE, given its location and connectivity, is positioned as a lucrative geopolitical trade corridor for Indian goods moving into Africa, Europe, and Central Asia.

These opportunities and challenges took centre stage at the Delhi edition of the Gateway to the UAE Roadshow,at the Shangri-La Eros, New Delhi. Hosted by Ajman Free Zone, in partnership with Economic Times Digital and Times of India Digital.


The Delhi edition, marking the second successful stop in a national series after Chennai, brought together leading industry minds, policymakers, and trade experts to unpack the practicalities of expanding into the UAE, from market selection to logistics, to corporate structuring, taxation and regulatory compliance.

The UAE pitches itself as more than a business destination

In the opening keynote address, Badriyah Al Blooshi, Compliance Chief Officer, Free Zones Authority of Ajman, placed the UAE’s economic proposition in the context of longstanding ties between India and the UAE. She noted that the relationship is rooted in longstanding people-to-people ties, with more than four million Indians presently living in the UAE. The keynote pointed to policies around long-term residency, foreign ownership and taxation as part of the UAE’s broader efforts to attract people, capital and businesses. Blooshi also stressed that growth and governance need to move together, arguing that Indian companies should view the UAE not only as a consumer market but as a platform for reaching the Gulf, Africa and other international markets.

Ajman Free Zone: Building a base for regional expansion

A detailed walkthrough presentation of Ajman Free Zone’s ecosystem formed a central highlight of the roadshow, with Zubair Ul Islam, Director of Sales, Free Zones Authority of Ajman outlining the infrastructure and services available to businesses operating from the zone. The presentation highlighted Ajman Free Zone’s more than three decades of operation, with over 25,000 active businesses, 530 warehouses and more than 1,500 retail units. The presentation also cited a five-star rating that the ecosystem has received for its website/service centre, alongside a 97% customer satisfaction rate and recognition through a Dubai Government Excellence award.

Ajman Free Zone’s global outreach is anchored inAjman Axis, its international representative office network, which currently spans nine locations across India, Egypt, Istanbul, China, and two in Russia, with plans to expand to 20 offices by the end of 2027 into South America and Africa. The network is expected to expand to 20 offices by the end of 2027, with a planned presence in South America and Africa. The presentation also highlighted banking options available to businesses, including Ajman Bank and a digital banking offering, alongside branches of banks such as Emirates NBD, HSBC, Bank of Baroda, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and SBI.

The zone’s infrastructure spans office, residential, retail and industrial facilities, with different precincts catering to sectors and business needs ranging from technology and professional services to trading and manufacturing. As part of the presentation, Ul Islam outlined a network of specialised hubs designed to support distinct business verticals:

• Ajman Media City, which offers premium office space for digital and IT companies and is located about 20-25 minutes from Dubai International Airport.
• Al Zorah, a premium residential and golf-course development.
• China Mall, a retail-focused destination operating at around 90-95% occupancy.
• Al Jurf, a dedicated new- and used-car trading district that, according to the presentation, remains underutilised by Indian businesses despite strong demand from African markets.
• Ajman Port, managed by Hutchison Ports, which handles around two million tonnes of cargo annually and hosts more than 1,000 vessels each year.

The presentation also underscored India’s significance within the Ajman Free Zone ecosystem. Of the 23,866 companies from 180 nationalities that have registered with the zone, Indian businesses account for the largest share at 28.4%. More than 16,480 Indian companies have registered cumulatively, with 7,047 currently active across sectors including trading, professional services, marketing, e-commerce, food and beverage, construction, healthcare and textiles.

Ul Islam further noted that Indian-owned businesses have established 78 industrial units in Ajman, spanning sectors such as plastics, textiles, wood processing and food manufacturing.

India-UAE business opportunities

The opening panel, moderated by Neha Dewan, Senior Assistant Editor, ET Digital, brought together Tripti Shinghal Somani, Partner, KG Somani & Co LLP, Zubair Al Ul Islam, Director of Sales, Free Zones Authority of Ajman, Chandrima Chatterjee, Secretary General, Confederation of Indian Textile Industries, and Anish Damania MD, Group Relationships, JM Financial.

The panel pointed to the UAE’s connectivity, the dirham’s longstanding peg to the US dollar and its relatively low corporate tax rate as factors that can support cross-border businesses. Panellists noted that the UAE is now the seventh-largest destination for Indian outbound investment, attracting about US$ 25.59 billion in Indian investment in the preceding year.

A recurring theme was the uneven uptake of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) across India. The speakers noted that businesses in Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been quicker to leverage CEPA, while companies in northern India have yet to tap its potential to the same extent. The panellists also cited Himachal Pradesh’s pharmaceutical clusters as presenting untapped opportunities and Ajman Free Zone as a potential low-cost base for companies seeking access to African markets. In the textiles sector, where India is the UAE’s second-largest supplier, panellists said opportunities increasingly extend beyond conventional exports to areas such as global value-chain integration, recycling and digital product traceability.

The broader message was that the UAE can serve as a re-export and regional fulfilment base rather than simply as an end market. The experts, however, warned Indian firms against over-investing in large setups before testing demand, suggesting that a smaller initial setup can allow businesses to assess a market before scaling up.

Speakers stressed that readiness for UAE expansion should be assessed on the nature of the business rather than revenue alone. They also argued that the choice of free zone should be guided by sector, scale and operational requirements. In that context, panellists drew distinctions between specialised free zones such as Dubai Healthcare City and Dubai Internet City, and more cost-effective, volume-oriented hubs such as Ajman Free Zone. For businesses selling into large business-to-business (B2B) or government contracts, a physical presence may also be more important than a purely e-commerce model.

Setting up in the UAE is not simply a tax free

A second panel moderated by Pranbihanga Borpuzari, Senior Associate Editor, ET Digital, featured Atul Puri, Managing Partner & Co-founder, SW India, Nishant Shanker, CA, Tax & Cross border Advisory, Navraj, Global Advisors, Yeeshu Sehgal, UAE Practice Lead, AKM Global, Dubai, and Arjun Bhagi, Partner, Khaitan & Co.

Advisers stressed that companies should define what they want their UAE operation to do before deciding whether a free-zone or mainland structure is appropriate. Incorporating an entity in the UAE does not, by itself, determine where it is tax-resident. Advisers cautioned that if strategic decision-making and effective management remain in India, questions around tax residence and permanent establishment can arise, potentially creating obligations in both jurisdictions.

They also stressed that Indian companies need to account for Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) requirements, anti-money-laundering and KYC obligations, and the tax implications of how their India and UAE operations are structured. The panel also underlined that the UAE’s zero per cent free-zone corporate tax treatment is conditional, with qualifying businesses required to meet prescribed requirements around income and economic substance. Breaching the applicable conditions can result in the loss of the preferential treatment.

A question on opportunities for startups, especially Gen Z-led startups, and younger entrepreneurs brought the discussion back to business fundamentals. Speakers pointed to technology, software-as-a-service (SaaS) and IP-led businesses as areas with potential, but pointed that the operating model, including where functions, risks and decision-making sit, should be defined before choosing the appropriate licence and corporate structure.

Substance matters more than the tax headline

The Delhi edition concluded with remarks from Amisha Agarwal, Events & PR Manager, Free Zones Authority of Ajman, who reiterated the scope for deeper India-UAE business engagement. The event also returned to the wider India-UAE trade relationship: bilateral trade has crossed $100 billion, while the two countries have set a target of $200 billion by 2032. For businesses considering expansion, however, the discussion suggested that the first step is not simply choosing a free zone, but defining what they want their UAE presence to achieve.

The strongest message from the discussions was that tax savings alone are not a sufficient reason to establish a UAE presence. The more durable proposition is to use the UAE where there is a genuine commercial rationale, whether as a regional office, distribution centre, re-export hub or operating base. For some businesses, a free-zone base such as Ajman can provide a relatively lean starting point from which to test demand, build regional distribution and scale operations as the business case develops.