Abu Dhabi Chamber leads private-sector delegation to Mumbai to build on longstanding economic ties with India

The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) is leading a delegation from Abu Dhabi comprising more than 34 companies to Mumbai, India, with the aim of expanding partnerships between the Abu Dhabi and Indian business communities, opening new avenues for companies to invest and expand, and building long-term trade and investment partnerships.

The delegation is headed by His Excellency Dr Ali bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, First Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber, and will participate in the India–UAE Business Forum, organised by Abu Dhabi Chamber in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) as host partner, with the participation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The forum will take place at The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.

Bringing together 114 companies from Abu Dhabi and India, the forum will focus on connecting businesses with trade and investment opportunities, exploring areas for collaboration and joint ventures, and strengthening direct ties between the two business communities.

The forum comes at a time of growing momentum in economic relations between the UAE and India, underpinned by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Bilateral trade between the UAE and India reached US$101.25 billion in FY 2025–26, exceeding US$100 billion for the second consecutive year, while the two countries aim to increase bilateral trade to US$200 billion by 2032.

His Excellency Dr Ali bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, First Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber, said: “Relations between the UAE and India are rooted in a long history of exchange and connectivity. Today, the rapid economic transformation taking place in both countries is creating greater scope for the private sector to shape a new phase of partnership built on investment, co-production, and the exchange of expertise and technology.

We see this visit as an opportunity to translate the momentum in our economic relations into direct partnerships between businesses. We want the meetings in Mumbai to create clear pathways for collaboration and actionable opportunities, enabling Abu Dhabi companies to access new opportunities in the Indian market, while supporting Indian businesses seeking to grow and expand from Abu Dhabi into regional and global markets.

His Excellency Al Dhaheri reaffirmed Abu Dhabi Chamber’s commitment to connecting the emirate’s business community with opportunities and markets worldwide, and to providing channels that enable companies to build high-value partnerships that support their growth and expansion, while strengthening the private sector’s role in Abu Dhabi’s international economic relations.

The forum will feature an extensive business matchmaking session, with pre-scheduled meetings between UAE and Indian companies to explore specific opportunities for trade, investment and joint ventures, and to translate business discussions into actionable opportunities and partnerships.

The delegation’s participation will focus on a number of priority sectors, including manufacturing, food security and agri-tech, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, financial services and fintech, reflecting opportunities for greater collaboration between the capabilities and expertise of the two business communities.

The continued growth of the Indian business community in Abu Dhabi reflects the depth of economic ties between the two sides. As of August 2026, Abu Dhabi Chamber had 21,085 active Indian member companies.

In 2025, the Chamber recorded 4,642 new Indian membership registrations, representing year-on-year growth of 38.8 per cent. New registrations recorded compound annual growth of 44.6 per cent between 2020 and 2025, with annual new registrations increasing more than six-fold over the five-year period.

Indian member companies operate across a broad range of economic sectors, led by wholesale and retail trade, construction, administrative and support services, and professional and technical activities, alongside manufacturing, transport and storage, information and communications, and other sectors.

The forum builds on a longstanding track record of institutional cooperation between Abu Dhabi Chamber and its partners in India. In recent years, the chamber has hosted delegations of Indian companies and business leaders, strengthened its collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry, and signed an agreement with the UAE–India CEPA Council to broaden the business community’s access to opportunities created by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Through its international missions and partnerships, Abu Dhabi Chamber continues to connect the emirate’s companies with priority markets, facilitate their access to opportunities for growth and expansion, and strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a global destination for business and investment and a platform connecting companies with regional and international markets.