UAE-India economic partnership expands from trade to logistics corridors

The strategic and economic partnership between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India has expanded beyond trade, now encompassing logistics corridors. This partnership, which serves as a model of cooperation within BRICS, is characterized by historic ties, shared interests, and major projects promoting trade, investment, and logistics connectivity between markets.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$101.25 billion in the 2025-2026 financial year, surpassing the $100 billion mark for the second consecutive year. Both nations aim to increase bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032. The UAE-India partnership is bolstered by initiatives such as Bharat Mart, the Virtual Trade Corridor, and cooperation under the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

These projects strengthen supply chain integration and create new routes for trade and investment flows between the countries and global markets. The UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the first of its kind concluded by the UAE, entered into force in 2022, facilitating increased flow of goods, services, and investment, and expanding opportunities for the private sector in both nations.

At the multilateral level, the UAE is a full member of BRICS since January 2024 and a member of the New Development Bank, further enhancing its contribution to economic and financial cooperation among BRICS countries.