MUMBAI, October 21 (Aalimi Nation) – External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday that bilateral trade between India and the United Arab Emirates has crossed 100 billion US dollars since the two countries signed their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). He made the remarks in Mumbai while welcoming UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and used the occasion to call for dialogue and diplomacy over the crisis in West Asia.
India-UAE trade passes a milestone
Jaishankar said the relationship was "living up to its promise as a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" after more than a decade of sustained engagement. He said the economic partnership had continued to set new benchmarks despite global headwinds and regional challenges.
The minister said growing two-way investment reflected the confidence businesses in each country have in the other's economy. He added that cooperation in defence, energy and technology was acquiring a strategic character. The statements as reported did not specify the period over which the 100 billion dollar figure was reached, and no new agreements from the meeting were announced.
The CEPA was signed in February 2022 and came into force on May 1 that year. Figures attributed to the UAE's foreign ministry in some reports put bilateral trade at roughly 101.25 billion dollars in the 2025-26 financial year, compared with about 100.05 billion dollars the year before. Those numbers could not be checked against an official Indian trade release. The two sides have also spoken of a longer-term target of 200 billion dollars in trade by 2032.
Concern over the Gulf
Jaishankar described the situation in the Gulf and wider West Asia as a matter of deep concern and said dialogue and diplomacy were the way to resolve it. He reiterated India's support for what he called the "free, safe and unimpeded flow of trade, energy, and fertiliser".
The remarks carry weight for India, which depends heavily on the region for crude oil, gas and fertiliser imports. Disruption to shipping in the area has contributed to higher energy prices in recent months, and attacks by Houthi forces have added to regional tension.
The UAE is also home to a large Indian community. Jaishankar thanked the UAE leadership for ensuring the well-being of Indians living there, a point of particular interest to families in India given the security situation in the Gulf.
A busy diplomatic week in Mumbai
The meeting came as Mumbai hosted a series of high-level diplomatic engagements this week. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also on a visit to India, and Sheikh Abdullah's meeting with Jaishankar took place in the same city. Accounts differ on whether the UAE minister's discussions with the US side were held jointly or separately, and the Ministry of External Affairs had not described them as a trilateral meeting in the material reviewed.
What to watch
The next steps include any follow-up announcements on investment, defence and technology cooperation, and whether the two governments publish detailed trade data to support the milestone. Further statements from the Ministry of External Affairs on the West Asia situation are also expected as the crisis develops.
