H.E. Bin Touq holds meetings with Andhra Pradesh CM and Ministers of Commerce, IT, and Food Processing to strengthen collaboration in new economy, agriculture & food sectors

Meetings take place on the sidelines of Investopia Global Talks in Andhra Pradesh

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of Investopia, held four bilateral meetings with H.E. N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh; H.E. T. G. Bharath, Minister of Industries, Commerce, and Food Processing; H.E. Nara Lokesh, Minister of Information Technology; and H.E. R. Mukundan, President‑designate of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2025-2026 term and CEO of Tata Chemicals Limited. The meetings aimed to enhance collaboration across priority areas such as the new economy, agriculture, food processing, fintech, the circular and green economy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and SMEs.

The discussions took place on the sidelines of the Investopia Global Talks held in Andhra Pradesh, bringing together over 200 business leaders, investors, innovators, officials, and decision-makers from both the UAE and India.

H.E. Bin Touq highlighted that the UAE and India share a comprehensive and advanced strategic partnership, aligning with the two leaderships’ shared vision for sustainable economic development. H.E. emphasised that economic collaboration between the two nations continues to grow, adding further momentum to their exceptional partnership.

The Minister of Economy and Tourism said: “India is a key economic and investment partner for the UAE. We look forward to fostering fruitful cooperation and forging new partnerships with our counterparts in the Indian government, while exploring promising opportunities for the business communities in both countries across sectors of mutual interest. This will help drive sustainable growth and shared prosperity in both nations.”

H.E. further added, “India’s Andhra Pradesh stands out for its strategic geographic location that connects local and global markets, its competitive strengths in agriculture and exports, and the presence of leading UAE companies across key sectors such as supply chains, food, industry, and logistics - including DP World, Sharaf, Tabreed, and Lulu. This meeting marks a significant step towards strengthening collaboration and expanding opportunities to advance public-private economic partnerships between the two nations, reinforcing integration across vital sectors that drive the growth and sustainability of both the UAE and Indian economies.”

 National priorities for transitioning to sustainable economic models

H.E. Bin Touq’s meeting with H.E. N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, discussed national development policies and priorities for transitioning to sustainable and adaptable economic models. The meeting also explored the exchange of expertise in modern economic legislation aimed at encouraging UAE and Indian business communities to invest in future economic sectors and expand into international markets, leveraging their unique strengths.

Both sides underscored the significance of Andhra Pradesh hosting the Investopia Global Talks, offering a valuable platform for highlighting promising investment and economic opportunities, facilitating connectivity and communication between UAE and Indian investors, and creating new pathways for collaboration across vital sectors including technology, renewable energy, food, agriculture, and digital economies.

UAE’s efforts in developing economic food cluster

During his meeting with H.E. T. G. Bharath, Minister for Industries, Commerce and Food Processing, H.E. bin Touq highlighted the UAE’s efforts to develop a food cluster combining agricultural production, food industries, and latest agricultural technology within a unified ecosystem based on collaboration and integration. These efforts enhance the national economy’s competitiveness and empower private sector companies in food sector and related activities.

Strengthening cooperation on digital economy

In a sperate meeting, H.E. Abdulla bin Touq and H.E. Nara Lokesh, Minister for Information Technology, explored the importance of collaborative efforts in digital economy and adopting modern technologies as key enablers of growth in vital economic sectors. Both sides emphasized that digital transformation directly contributes to building more efficient business environments and enhances innovation, competitiveness, and productivity.

The Minister of Economy and Tourism also met with H.E. R. Mukundan, President‑designate of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the 2025-2026 term, to explore avenues for enhancing economic and investment collaboration between the UAE and India. The meeting focused on strengthening public-private partnerships across innovation, industry, technology, entrepreneurship, while also discussing the means to enhance the food sector and growth of SMEs.

The meeting highlighted the importance of continued dialogue between governmental entities and business communities in enhancing the food sector and enabling SMEs to play a stronger role in driving economic growth and achieving sustainable development.