Meeting Highlights Commitment to Strategic Partnership
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met with Dr. Abdulnasser Alshaali, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to India, on Monday in New Delhi. The discussions focused on deepening the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, according to a statement from the Minister's office.
Goyal appreciated the Ambassador's efforts in strengthening bilateral ties and extended best wishes for his future endeavours. The Minister's office shared on X: "Minister @PiyushGoyal held a meeting with Dr. Abdulnasser Alshaali, Ambassador of the UAE to India. Minister appreciated his efforts towards strengthening the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and also extended best wishes for his future endeavours."
CEPA Driving Trade and Investment Growth
The meeting comes at a time when trade and investment relations between India and the UAE have gained significant momentum following the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into effect in May 2022. This agreement has been instrumental in boosting two-way trade, easing market access, and encouraging investment flows across sectors including energy, infrastructure, logistics, fintech, and food processing.
The UAE is one of India's top trading partners and a major source of foreign direct investment. Bilateral trade has grown steadily post-CEPA, with both countries targeting USD 100 billion in non-oil trade by 2030. The partnership also covers collaboration in renewable energy, food security, digital payments, and supply chain resilience.
Ambassador's Role in Key Initiatives
Alshaali has been instrumental in advancing several India-UAE initiatives during his tenure. These include expanding cooperation under the India-UAE Virtual Trade Corridor, collaboration in education and skill development, and strengthening people-to-people linkages, given the large Indian diaspora in the UAE.
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, elevated in 2017, now spans trade, defence, energy, health, space, and climate. Both sides have also been working closely in multilateral forums and on regional connectivity projects.
Broader Push for Export Opportunities
The meeting with the UAE envoy is part of a broader push by the Commerce Ministry to engage with key partner nations to unlock new export opportunities and attract investment into India. With global supply chains realigning, officials have been focusing on leveraging free trade agreements and strategic partnerships to enhance India's presence in West Asia and beyond.
The India-UAE relationship is expected to remain a priority area for the government, given the UAE's role as a trade hub and its investments in Indian infrastructure, ports, and food parks.
