Roundtables highlight the private sector’s role in driving bilateral projects and employment opportunities.
Ahmedabad: Investopia on Thursday launched the fifth consecutive India edition of the Investopia Dialogues in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, bringing together more than 500 leaders, senior government officials, investors and entrepreneurs from the UAE and India.
The event aims to deepen bilateral economic and investment ties while exploring opportunities in future-focused and sustainable sectors. The discussions are aligned with evolving global economic trends and seek to promote growth driven by innovation, knowledge and advanced technologies.
The event was attended by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Co-Chair of the Investopia Board of Trustees, alongside Bhupendrabhai Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Also in attendance were Abdulrahman Mohammed Alhawi, Under-Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment and President of Investopia; Dhafer Al Qasimi, CEO of Silal Group; Sheikh Saqr bin Omar Al Qasimi, CEO of Marjan Developers; Yusuff Ali M.A., Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group; and Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL.
The Investopia Dialogues in Ahmedabad explored ways to strengthen UAE-India economic cooperation while expanding the private sector’s role in driving bilateral investment partnerships.
Discussions focused on increasing capital flows and deepening collaboration in key sectors, including logistics, food security, advanced manufacturing, financial services, tourism and artificial intelligence (AI).
The programme also included a series of roundtable discussions and bilateral meetings aimed at identifying new investment opportunities and fostering closer business ties.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said UAE-India economic relations have evolved into a strategic partnership that continues to expand across key sectors, supported by the shared vision of the two countries’ leadership.
He noted that Investopia serves as an important platform for advancing bilateral partnerships, particularly in new economy industries, while strengthening its position as a global forum that connects governments, investors and business leaders to turn opportunities into high-impact projects and long-term strategic partnerships.
Highlighting the strength of the bilateral relationship, Bin Touq described the UAE-India partnership as a model for sustainable growth and economic integration that is creating new opportunities for joint investment and business expansion. He said the number of Indian companies operating in the UAE reached 290,222 by the end of the first half of 2026, marking a 16.7 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier.
He added that the number of Indian businesses in the UAE had risen by 109 per cent between 2020 and 2025, reflecting the expanding presence and growing investments of the Indian business community in the country’s markets.
Abdulrahman Mohammed Alhawi, Under-Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment and President of Investopia, said the UAE-India investment relationship has become one of the world’s fastest-growing partnerships, particularly after the Bilateral Investment Treaty came into effect in 2024.
He noted that the UAE now accounts for more than 70 per cent of GCC investment inflows into India, while nearly 4,000 Indian companies joined the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in the first quarter of 2026. According to Alhawi, the Investopia Dialogues in Ahmedabad represent another step forward in the strategic partnership, with the platform expected to expand bilateral investments, increase private-sector participation and strengthen the UAE’s role as a gateway for Indian businesses seeking access to global markets.
Sheikh Saqr bin Omar Al Qasimi, CEO of Marjan Developers, said the Ahmedabad edition of Investopia reflects the close relationship between the UAE and India, noting that Indian investors remain among Marjan’s most valued partners in the development of Ras Al Khaimah as a global destination.
Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL, said the company’s participation highlights its commitment to building strategic partnerships that promote sustainable industrial growth. He added that the strong economic ties between the UAE and India present significant opportunities for cooperation in manufacturing, infrastructure, innovation and low-carbon industrial development, while supporting both countries’ ambitions for a more sustainable and resilient future.
Yusuff Ali M.A., Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group, said he was pleased to participate in the Investopia Global event in Ahmedabad, where the company announced an INR 4,000 crore (AED1.53 billion) investment in a mixed-use development.
The project will include a modern shopping mall, a five-star hotel and fully furnished residential apartments on nearly 21 acres of recently acquired land in Ahmedabad. It is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs for residents of Gujarat.
He added that LuLu Group is also moving forward with plans to establish a food park and a fish-processing plant in the state.
On the sidelines of the event, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri met with Bhupendrabhai Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, to discuss ways to deepen economic cooperation between the UAE and the Indian state.
The talks focused on expanding collaboration in key sectors, including advanced manufacturing, logistics, food security and tourism, while underscoring the importance of strengthening partnerships between the UAE and Indian business communities.
Bin Touq said Gujarat was chosen to host the event because of its status as one of India’s leading industrial and economic centres, supported by a strong ecosystem spanning ports, manufacturing, food processing, renewable energy, logistics and entrepreneurship.
He added that the state is expected to play a key role in the next phase of the UAE-India Economic Corridor, creating new opportunities for cooperation in resilient supply chains, advanced manufacturing, food security, financial services and tourism.
A dedicated session, “Building Gujarat’s AI Economy,” examined strategies for developing a comprehensive artificial intelligence ecosystem by increasing investment in data centres, computing capacity and digital infrastructure. The discussion aligned with Gujarat’s ambition to become a regional hub for technology, innovation and advanced manufacturing.
Participants also explored opportunities for closer UAE-India collaboration in AI and other advanced technologies, highlighting the need for strategic partnerships that can attract high-quality investments and build the digital infrastructure required to support the rapid expansion of the digital economy.
Another session, titled “Frontier Industries,” examined opportunities to expand UAE-India cooperation in advanced manufacturing, with discussions covering sectors such as semiconductors, industrial engineering, automotive manufacturing and advanced materials.
Participants explored ways to accelerate knowledge and technology transfer while developing smarter, more sustainable production chains that can strengthen the long-term competitiveness of both economies in future-focused industries.
The event also featured a session on “Scaling Bilateral Investment,” which looked at ways to boost capital flows between the UAE and India. Discussions highlighted the role of sovereign wealth funds, family offices and private capital in financing strategic infrastructure and development projects.
Participants also explored measures to create a more agile investment environment that supports high-growth sectors and strengthens economic partnerships between the two countries.
The “The New Financial Corridor” session focused on strengthening cooperation between the UAE’s and India’s financial hubs by enhancing regulatory frameworks and improving market connectivity to facilitate cross-border capital flows.
Participants also discussed opportunities in fund management and financial technology (fintech), highlighting how advanced financial platforms can improve businesses’ access to funding.
The “Food Security and Agri-Value Chains” session explored ways to deepen collaboration in modern agriculture, food processing, AgriTech, cold chain infrastructure and logistics. Discussions centred on strengthening sustainable food supplies while building more resilient supply chains amid global challenges.
The event concluded with the “Tourism, Sports, and the Experience Economy” session, which examined opportunities to expand cooperation in tourism, aviation, hospitality, sports and entertainment. Participants discussed how closer collaboration could enhance the attractiveness of economic destinations, unlock new investment opportunities, support the growth of the experience economy and boost tourism flows between the UAE and India.
The Ahmedabad event forms part of Investopia’s series of engagements across major strategic international markets and is one of its 25 global dialogues aimed at advancing international economic dialogue and identifying emerging investment opportunities.
The initiative supports the UAE’s efforts to strengthen its position as a global hub for economic and investment cooperation, particularly across new economy and future-oriented sectors.
