H.E. Bin Touq meets ministerial delegation from India’s Andhra Pradesh to strengthen partnerships in new economy, tourism, entrepreneurship, investment & industry

Meeting highlights Ministry of Economy & Tourism’s vision for developing the food cluster and its vital role in unlocking new investment opportunities

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, received a ministerial delegation from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, which included Shri. N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of the state; Shri. T. G. Bharath, Minister for Industries, Commerce and Food Processing; Shri. B. C. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Roads and Buildings, Infrastructure and Investments; and Shri. Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India to Dubai; along with several other government officials from the state.

The meeting discussed prospects for strengthening economic partnerships in areas of shared interest, including the new economy, tourism, entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), industry, technology, investment, food and agriculture, circular economy and innovation.

H.E. Bin Touq emphasised that the UAE and India share deep-rooted strategic economic, investment, and cultural relations, guided by the vision and directives of both leaderships. These relations continue to flourish, reinforcing economic cooperation across several key sectors in both markets.

H.E. said: “India is a key strategic economic partner of the UAE, and we remain committed to advancing cooperation with our partners in the Indian government across areas and sectors of mutual interest. This will reinforce the strength of our comprehensive economic partnership and support the sustainability and growth of both our economies.” H.E. highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s promising opportunities across advanced economic sectors, which present new avenues for stronger partnerships across the public and private sectors.

The two sides reviewed mechanisms to strengthen dialogue between the UAE and Indian business communities and provide more opportunities and enablers across vital economic and investment sectors. The discussions aligned with the future aspirations of both countries to forge a more inclusive and sustainable economic partnership.

Within this framework, His Excellency highlighted a range of economic policies and measures adopted by the UAE to enhance its business environment, maintain economic openness, and forge constructive economic partnerships with key global and regional markets. H.E. also elaborated on the efforts to enhance the UAE market’s attractiveness to enterprises focused on new economy sectors and strengthen the competitiveness of the economic legislation, which includes 100 per cent foreign ownership of companies.

Furthermore, H.E. Bin Touq outlined the Ministry of Economy and Tourism’s vision to develop the food cluster, unifying agricultural production, food manufacturing, and modern agritech within a single ecosystem built on collaboration and integration. The cluster aims to unlock new opportunities for businesses and investors, strengthening the sector’s contribution to the UAE’s GDP.

The number of new Indian companies entering the UAE market reached 22,415 during the first half of 2025, up 10 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. The total number of Indian companies in the UAE stood at 264,687 by the end of H1 2025.