India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to strengthen their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with a target of $100 billion for non-oil bilateral trade.
The decision comes amid changing global trade dynamics after US President Donald Trump announced a sharp hike in tariffs.
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal discussed the matter with UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi last week, according to an official statement.
The ministers reviewed progress under CEPA and reaffirmed the shared vision of expanding India–UAE trade towards the $100 billion non-oil, non-precious metals target by 2030.
Discussions included collaboration in renewable energy, digital infrastructure, supply chain resilience, and healthcare. Both ministers stressed the importance of close cooperation in the current global scenario to strengthen the bilateral economic partnership.
Goyal highlighted India’s economic resilience, while both sides agreed to work with diverse partners for mutual benefit.
They underlined the need for timely trade data sharing for better monitoring under CEPA. The Sub-Committee on Services will convene within two months.
The Indian side welcomed the Emirates Drug Establishment and its role in resolving concerns of Indian pharmaceutical companies.
Both ministers agreed to address market access and regulatory issues promptly through the CEPA Joint Committee.
Goyal appreciated UAE investments in India’s infrastructure, logistics, and food processing sectors. He also acknowledged Dr Thani’s leadership in advancing multilateral trade cooperation.
The meeting highlighted initiatives such as the Local Currency Settlement System (INR–AED) and Bharat Mart as key enablers of trade.
The ministers co-chaired meetings with pharmaceutical and food sector representatives.
In pharma, they discussed regulatory facilitation and emerging opportunities in traditional medicine, including ayurvedic products. In the food sector, APEDA launched the Bharati Scheme to support over 100 start-ups and signed an MoU with DWTC for Gulf Food 2026, providing 1,200 sqm for Indian companies across food, marine, tea, coffee, and spices.
The UAE addressed Indian industry concerns, including retail prices, price norms, and mandatory rice testing.
The discussions reinforced CEPA as a defining framework for sustainable India–UAE trade, innovation, and shared prosperity.
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