Consul General E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy meets Dubai DET chief Helal Saeed Al Marri to explore business, investment and people-to-people linkages
New Delhi/Dubai: Dr. E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Consul General of India in Dubai, paid a courtesy call on Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (Dubai DET), with discussions centred on further strengthening economic and tourism ties between India and Dubai.
The interaction focused on expanding business engagement, investment opportunities and people-to-people connections, while exploring avenues for deeper cooperation between Indian and Dubai-based businesses.
India and Dubai share strong commercial links, with Dubai emerging as an important gateway for Indian businesses to the wider Gulf and global markets. Dubai’s non-oil trade with India reached AED 222.5 billion in 2025, registering annual growth of 15%, according to Dubai Chambers. India was Dubai’s second-largest trading partner during the year. (Government of Dubai Media Office)
At the broader India-UAE level, bilateral trade reached a record US$101.25 billion in FY 2025-26, while the two countries have set an objective of increasing bilateral trade to US$200 billion by 2032. The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in 2022, has provided an important framework for expanding trade and investment. (CGI Dubai)
Investment and business engagement
Investment is another major pillar of the relationship. UAE investment in India spans infrastructure, energy, real estate, financial services and private equity, while Indian companies have established a presence in sectors including tourism, hospitality, healthcare, retail and education in the UAE. (CGI Dubai)
The two sides are also expanding cooperation into newer areas such as artificial intelligence, fintech, renewable energy, critical minerals, healthcare and advanced technology, creating additional opportunities for businesses and investors. (CGI Dubai)
Tourism and people-to-people ties
Tourism remains an important component of India-Dubai engagement, supported by extensive air connectivity, business travel and strong community links. Indian states and tourism stakeholders regularly participate in major Dubai travel and tourism platforms, helping promote India as a destination for UAE-based travellers. (CGI Dubai)
The relationship also benefits from a large Indian community in the UAE, which forms an important bridge for trade, investment, tourism, education and cultural exchanges. The Indian diaspora is the UAE’s largest expatriate community. (Ministry of External Affairs)
The latest meeting between Dr. Reddy and Al Marri reflects efforts to translate these strong foundations into greater commercial engagement, investment flows, tourism cooperation and closer people-to-people connections.
The discussions underline the growing role of Dubai as an important economic, tourism and business partner for India and as a platform for expanding India’s engagement with the wider Gulf region.