Indian investments in Dubai up after CEPA: President and CEO, Dubai Chambers

The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has led to a rise in Indian investments in Dubai across sectors such as software and IT services, consumer products, business services, food and beverages, and real estate, fuelled by the agreement's trade facilitation measures and streamlined regulatory environment, Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers said.

"Since the CEPA between India and the UAE came into effect, we have observed a significant increase in Indian business activity across multiple sectors. Trading, logistics, and manufacturing are among the key growth areas directly benefiting from the tariff reductions and streamlined trade procedures facilitated by the agreement," he said.

The CEPA came into effect on May 1, 2022. The UAE is India's third largest trading partner. India's goods exports to the UAE in April-February FY25 were $33.23 billion and imports were $55.74 billion.


"There is a vast potential for collaboration for India and in areas such as artificial intelligence, e-commerce, specialised healthcare, and advanced manufacturing," Lootah said, adding that India's foreign direct investment (FDI) into Dubai reached $4.1 billion in 2020-2024.

"Beyond these well-established sectors, India's strong presence and expertise within the IT and technology fields ensure powerful synergies between our markets," he added.

For Dubai, he said the top sectors for investments in India include transportation and warehousing, business services, real estate, software and IT services and financial services.