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Gulf & Middle East

Export to United Arab Emirates

India's biggest Gulf buyer and a re-export hub for the Middle East and Africa. CEPA in force since 2022.

Capital
Abu Dhabi
Currency
AED
Trade agreement with India
India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
1 May 2022
Main ports
Jebel Ali (Dubai), Khalifa Port (Abu Dhabi), Khalid Port (Sharjah)

The UAE is close, ships arrive from Mundra or Nhava Sheva in a few days, and a large Indian trading community already runs import businesses there. Much of what lands at Jebel Ali is re-exported to Africa, Iran, Iraq and Central Asia. This makes it the most common first market for new Indian exporters.

India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

The UAE gives preferential (mostly zero) duty on about 97% of its tariff lines for Indian goods. To claim it, get a CEPA certificate of origin from DGFT's online platform and make sure your product meets the rules of origin.

What it buys from India

  • Electrical machinery and equipment, including smartphones
  • Boilers, generators, machinery and organic and inorganic chemicals
  • Petroleum products, gems and jewellery
  • Rice, spices, fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and processed food

Import rules on their side

  • Food labels must carry Arabic (Arabic plus English is usual) and follow GCC labelling standards, including production and expiry dates.
  • Food is imported by a UAE-registered importer, and the products are registered with the emirate's food authority (for example Dubai Municipality) before the first shipment.
  • Meat and meat products need a halal certificate from a body the UAE accepts.
  • Regulated non-food goods (for example electrical items, toys, some building products) need conformity certification under MoIAT schemes.

Practical tips

  • Many UAE buyers want credit terms. For a first order ask for an advance or an LC, and take ECGC cover if you give credit.
  • Gulfood in Dubai is the main food trade fair for the region; India usually has a large national pavilion organised by APEDA.
  • If the buyer re-exports, ask which country the goods finally go to — labels and certificates may need to meet that country's rules too.
Sources (8)
  1. PIB — India-UAE CEPA enters into force (1 May 2022)
  2. PIB backgrounder — India's Trade Partnerships (27 Feb 2026)
  3. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank
  4. UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)
  5. Dubai Municipality — food safety and import
  6. Dubai Customs
  7. GCC Standardization Organization (GSO)
  8. Gulfood (Dubai World Trade Centre)

Trade data

India’s exports to United Arab Emirates in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat (Indian financial years, April–March), the country’s imports from the world from UN Comtrade, and its basics from the World Bank.

India’s exports here, 2025-26
US$ 37.4 bn
No. 2 of our 30 countries
Change from 2024-25
↑ +2%
US$ 36.6 bn → US$ 37.4 bn
Share of all Indian exports
8.46%
Its imports from the world
US$ 470.5 bn
2023 · India’s share 7.79%
2020-21: US$ 16.7 bn17k2020-212021-22: US$ 28 bn28k2021-222022-23: US$ 31.6 bn32k2022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 36.6 bn37k2024-252025-26: US$ 37.4 bn37k2025-26
India’s exports to United Arab Emirates, year by year · US$ million · TradeStat’s 2023-24 country table is double-counted, so it is not shown

What India sells here most

By HS chapter, 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71US$ 8.69 bn+12%
2Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27US$ 5.85 bn-23%
3Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 5.4 bn+40.6%
4MachineryHS 84US$ 2.35 bn+31.6%
5Ships and boatsHS 89US$ 1.31 bn+18.7%
6Vehicles and partsHS 87US$ 1.18 bn+17.1%
7Iron and steel articlesHS 73US$ 835 mn-3.3%
8Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)HS 10US$ 723 mn+38%
9Knitted garmentsHS 61US$ 700 mn+9.7%
10Iron and steelHS 72US$ 616 mn-12.5%
11Woven garmentsHS 62US$ 604 mn+2.8%
12Coffee, tea, spicesHS 09US$ 597 mn+9.5%

What is rising and what is falling

Chapters where India sells at least US$ 5 million. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. Dairy, eggs, honeyUS$ 118 mn → US$ 214 mn+82.2%
  2. MeatUS$ 367 mn → US$ 517 mn+40.8%
  3. Electrical and electronicsUS$ 3.84 bn → US$ 5.4 bn+40.6%
  4. Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)US$ 524 mn → US$ 723 mn+38%
  5. MachineryUS$ 1.79 bn → US$ 2.35 bn+31.6%
  6. VegetablesUS$ 230 mn → US$ 289 mn+25.4%
  7. Ships and boatsUS$ 1.11 bn → US$ 1.31 bn+18.7%
  8. Vehicles and partsUS$ 1.01 bn → US$ 1.18 bn+17.1%

Low demand

  1. Inorganic chemicalsUS$ 290 mn → US$ 222 mn-23.6%
  2. Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 7.6 bn → US$ 5.85 bn-23%
  3. Iron and steelUS$ 704 mn → US$ 616 mn-12.5%
  4. Paper and paperboardUS$ 372 mn → US$ 334 mn-10.3%

Opportunity: what this country buys from the world, and from India

The country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, 2023. Chapters with the biggest gap between what it buys from the world and what it buys from India.

Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 114.9 bnIndia 9.2% · gap US$ 104.3 bn
Electrical and electronicsUS$ 63.1 bnIndia 8.6% · gap US$ 57.6 bn
MachineryUS$ 40.8 bnIndia 3.2% · gap US$ 39.5 bn
Vehicles and partsUS$ 33.7 bnIndia 2.9% · gap US$ 32.7 bn
Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 21.3 bnIndia 12.4% · gap US$ 18.6 bn
Medicines and pharmaUS$ 6.17 bnIndia 2.8% · gap US$ 6 bn
PlasticsUS$ 6.4 bnIndia 6.4% · gap US$ 6 bn
Iron and steel articlesUS$ 5.76 bnIndia 10.2% · gap US$ 5.17 bn
Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 5.29 bnIndia 2.4% · gap US$ 5.17 bn
Iron and steelUS$ 6.24 bnIndia 18% · gap US$ 5.12 bn

Our product guides that sell here

India’s exports of each product to this country, 2025-26.

Name2025-26Change
1Readymade garmentsUS$ 1.3 bn+6.4%
2Basmati riceUS$ 464 mn+27.3%
3Processed foodUS$ 339 mn+11.3%
4SpicesUS$ 338 mn+3.9%
5Fresh vegetablesUS$ 289 mn+25.4%
6Non-basmati riceUS$ 237 mn+67.3%
7Auto parts and componentsUS$ 222 mn+66.3%
8Generic medicines (formulations)US$ 191 mn+18.1%
9TeaUS$ 185 mn+18.8%
10Ceramic and vitrified tilesUS$ 164 mn+4%
11Frozen shrimpUS$ 101 mn-17%
12PumpsUS$ 92.6 mn+3.6%

The 20 biggest export lines

4-digit HS lines, 2025-26, with their Harmonized System descriptions.

Name2025-26Change
1Jewellery articles and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metalHS 7113US$ 5.7 bn+4%
2Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crudeHS 2710US$ 5.61 bn-11.9%
3Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular/wireless networksHS 8517US$ 4.15 bn+45.7%
4Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted or setHS 7102US$ 2.68 bn+45.9%
5Cruise ships, excursion boats, ferry-boats, cargo ships, barges and similar vessels for the transport of…HS 8901US$ 719 mn+2.9%
6RiceHS 1006US$ 702 mn+38.5%
7Motor cars and other motor vehiclesHS 8703US$ 481 mn-6%
8Automatic data processing machines and units thereof, magnetic or optical readers, machines for…HS 8471US$ 470 mn+74%
9Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, other vesselsHS 8905US$ 421 mn+244%
10Meat of bovine animalsHS 0202US$ 389 mn+52.9%
11Insulated wire, cable and other electric conductors, connector fitted or notHS 8544US$ 376 mn+54.6%
12Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like, including…HS 8481US$ 273 mn+22.3%
13T-shirts, singlets and other vestsHS 6109US$ 253 mn+7.7%
14Motor vehiclesHS 8708US$ 222 mn+66.3%
15Machinery, plant, or laboratory equipmentHS 8419US$ 207 mn+163.5%
16Oils and other products of the distillation of high temperature coal tarHS 2707US$ 193 mn-83.5%
17TextilesHS 6307US$ 192 mn+3.8%
18MedicamentsHS 3004US$ 191 mn+18.1%
19Manufactured tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutesHS 2403US$ 191 mn+16%
20Structures of iron or steel and parts thereofHS 7308US$ 190 mn+37.9%

What India buys from United Arab Emirates

India’s imports from this country in 2025-26 by HS chapter, from TradeStat — this country can be your supplier too.

India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 63.9 bn
US$ 63.4 bn → US$ 63.9 bn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 37.4 bn
Trade balance
−US$ 26.5 bn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
+0.8%
Name2025-26Change
1Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71—-8.3%
2Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27—-1.9%
3Inorganic chemicalsHS 28—+230.1%
4AircraftHS 88—-23.3%
5CopperHS 74—+33%
6PlasticsHS 39—-10%
7Salt, stone, cementHS 25—+20.6%
8Ships and boatsHS 89—+65%
9AluminiumHS 76—+24.1%
10Iron and steelHS 72—+53.7%

The country at a glance

Population
11.5 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 552.3 bn
2024
GDP per person
US$ 50,274
2024
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 481.9 bn
2023

Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · World Bank — World Development Indicators · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

What to send to United Arab Emirates

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