Dubai invests $9.3 billion across 147 projects in India over 10 years

Dubai-based investors committed a total of $9.3 billion across 147 projects in India between 2016 and 2025, creating 55,274 jobs and expanding commercial ties between the emirate and Indian companies, Dubai Chambers data shows. As of June 2026, 85,841 Indian companies were active members of Dubai Chambers — a 15% year-on-year increase — while 7,579 new Indian companies joined the trade body in the first half of 2026 alone.

"Indian companies remain vital partners in Dubai’s growth and form the emirate’s largest foreign business community," said Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers. "Our agreements with NASSCOM and FKCCI will build on this strong foundation by advancing cooperation in Agentic AI and deeptech, strengthening trade and investment, and supporting more Indian companies to establish and expand in Dubai."

The figures and strategic push were announced by Lootah during a delegation visit to India that included eight meetings with leading Indian business organisations and multinational companies. The delegation signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in Bengaluru: one with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and another with the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI). Both agreements are aimed at deepening collaboration on Agentic AI and deeptech, and at facilitating market access for Indian firms seeking to scale in Dubai.

• The $9.3 billion investment total covers projects recorded from 2016 through 2025 and is reported to have supported 55,274 jobs.
• Membership growth: 85,841 Indian companies were active members of Dubai Chambers as of June 2026, up 15% year-on-year, with 7,579 new entrants in H1 2026.
• Engagements during the visit included meetings with NASSCOM DeepTech, the Confederation of Indian Industry Karnataka State Council (CII Karnataka), FKCCI, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Karnataka State Council (FICCI Karnataka).

Lootah emphasised Dubai’s focus on accelerating adoption of Agentic AI across the private sector, describing it as "creating significant new opportunities for Indian technology companies, innovators, and specialists to contribute their expertise and develop new solutions." He added: "By connecting these capabilities with Dubai’s advanced business ecosystem and access to international markets, we aim to generate tangible benefits for companies in both markets."

The MoU with NASSCOM establishes a framework to cooperate specifically on Agentic AI and deeptech, and explicitly aims to support market access for Indian companies seeking to establish and expand in Dubai. The FKCCI agreement is tailored to bolster trade, investment, and business collaboration between Dubai and the state of Karnataka — a major Indian technology and startup hub.

During the visit, Dubai Chambers engaged with NASSCOM DeepTech, an initiative intended to power India’s deep technology movement, alongside state-level industry bodies CII Karnataka and FICCI Karnataka. These discussions and agreements signal an intent to channel both capital and technical collaboration into areas such as advanced AI systems and deeptech applications, aligning investor interest with Indian technical talent.

Outlook

With substantial capital flows already recorded and institutional frameworks in place through the NASSCOM and FKCCI MoUs, Dubai’s strategy appears focused on translating investment into bilateral commercial activity in high-tech sectors. The combination of sizable investments, rising company membership in Dubai Chambers, and targeted cooperation on Agentic AI and deeptech suggests increased cross-border company formation, joint ventures, and talent exchanges between Dubai and Indian technology hubs — particularly in Karnataka — in the coming years.