UAE-India Economic Corridor: Investopia Dialogues in Ahmedabad Boost Bilateral Investments, AI, Manufacturing, Tourism and Trade

Ahmedabad hosted the Investopia Dialogues on July 23, 2026, bringing together more than 500 leaders, senior officials, investors and entrepreneurs from the UAE and India to deepen bilateral investment ties and drive collaboration across AI, advanced manufacturing, logistics, food security, tourism and financial services. The fifth consecutive Investopia edition in India featured roundtables and bilateral meetings aimed at scaling private‑sector participation in the UAE‑India Economic Corridor and mobilising capital flows into future‑ready, tech‑led projects.

Direct quote

“Investopia provides a vital platform to elevate bilateral partnerships to new heights, particularly in new economy sectors,” said Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Co‑Chair of the Investopia Board of Trustees. He added: “The UAE‑India economic partnership is an advanced model for sustainable growth and economic integration.”

Context and details

Organisers described the event as a push to convert strategic dialogue into private‑sector investment and jobs across priority sectors. Abdulla bin Touq highlighted the expanding footprint of Indian businesses in the UAE, noting that “the total number of Indian companies operating in the UAE reached 290,222 by the end of H1 2026, reflecting a 16.7 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2025,” and that the number of Indian companies in the UAE “surged by 109 per cent between 2020 and 2025.”

Abdulrahman Mohammed Alhawi, Under‑Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment and President of Investopia, said the Bilateral Investment Treaty, in force since 2024, has accelerated flows: “The investment partnership between the UAE and the Republic of India is among the most dynamic and fastest‑growing globally. Today, the UAE accounts for more than 70% of the total investment inflows from the GCC countries into India, while nearly 4,000 new Indian companies joined the Dubai Chamber of Commerce during the first quarter of 2026.”

• Key participants included Bhupendrabhai Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat; Dhafer Al Qasimi, CEO of Silal Group; Sheikh Saqr bin Omar Al Qasimi, CEO of Marjan Developers; Yusuff Ali M.A., Chairman & Managing Director of LuLu Group; and Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL.
• Yusuff Ali announced an INR 4,000 crore (AED 1.53 billion) investment for a mixed‑use project on nearly 21 acres in Ahmedabad — comprising a modern shopping mall, a five‑star hotel and furnished residential apartments — which he said is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs in the state. He also flagged plans for a Food Park and a fish‑processing plant.
• Sheikh Saqr said Investopia reflects “the depth of the UAE–India relationship,” noting Marjan’s long‑standing engagement with Indian investors in Ras Al Khaimah. Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi framed EMSTEEL’s participation as a commitment to “sustainable industrial growth” and collaboration on low‑carbon industrial development.

The conference included targeted sessions such as “Building Gujarat’s AI Economy,” which explored investments in data centres, computing capacity and digital infrastructure to position Gujarat as a regional hub for technology and advanced manufacturing. Bin Touq met with Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel to discuss priority opportunities in advanced manufacturing, logistics, food security and tourism and described Gujarat as a strategic node for the next phase of the UAE‑India Economic Corridor, citing its integrated ports, industry, renewable energy and logistics ecosystem.

Outlook

Investopia Dialogues in Ahmedabad aimed to translate high‑level commitments into concrete projects and private‑sector deals, leveraging recent policy drivers — including the 2024 Bilateral Investment Treaty — and tracking a continuing surge in Indian business presence in the UAE. With major private announcements such as the INR 4,000 crore LuLu project and focused sessions on AI and resilient supply chains, organisers signalled a pipeline of cross‑border investments intended to boost jobs, manufacturing capacity and digital infrastructure across both markets.