During his official visit to India from April 8 to 9, 2025, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, reinforced the UAE’s commitment to strengthening its economic and strategic ties with India. The visit resulted in the signing of eight significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and included high-level discussions aimed at enhancing cooperation across trade, education, logistics, and healthcare.
Held across New Delhi and Mumbai, the visit builds on the momentum created by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with a clear focus on building future-ready economic corridors between the two nations.
The 8 MoUs Signed During the Visit
- Dubai Chambers – Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
To promote cross-border trade opportunities, support Indian businesses entering the UAE, and facilitate investment roadshows. - Dubai Chambers – Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
To enhance bilateral business collaboration and exchange of trade policy insights. - Dubai Chambers – IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IMC Mumbai)
To support business matchmaking and encourage sector-specific partnerships. - DP World – RITES Ltd.
A strategic collaboration aimed at strengthening logistics infrastructure and multimodal transport solutions. - Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism – Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA)
To establish IIMA’s first international campus in Dubai, with the inaugural MBA batch starting in September 2025. - Dubai Health Authority – Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
To jointly launch the UAE–India Friendship Hospital in Dubai, focused on delivering accessible healthcare to expatriates. - Dubai Medical University – All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
To initiate collaboration in healthcare research, digital health, and medical education. - DP World – Container Corporation of India (CONCOR)
To improve port-to-port cargo movement and streamline UAE–India supply chain connectivity.
Major Announcements and Initiatives Beyond the MoUs
- Bharat Mart Construction Commenced
Positioned in Jebel Ali, Bharat Mart will serve as a central hub for Indian exports to the UAE and beyond. The platform will enable SMEs and manufacturers to access warehousing, re-export facilities, and integrated logistics support. - DP World’s Nhava Sheva Business Park Inaugurated in Mumbai
The $200 million investment in this Free Trade Warehousing Zone is DP World’s third in India and aims to serve as a key trade gateway. - Dubai Chamber Opens Office in Bengaluru
The new representative office will improve market access for UAE-based companies while attracting Indian exporters and startups to Dubai. - High-Level Leadership Engagements
Sheikh Hamdan met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Discussions covered technology collaboration, defense, trade expansion, energy investments, and fintech partnerships.
What It Means for UAE Businesses
The visit marks a transition from high-level diplomacy to on-the-ground economic action. These MoUs and initiatives provide UAE companies with:
- Direct academic and research partnerships with India’s top institutions
- Improved cargo and port connectivity
- Access to Indian SME products through Bharat Mart
- Expansion of logistics and re-export opportunities via new infrastructure
- Healthcare and medical tourism potential through bilateral clinical ties
The education and healthcare sectors in particular are poised for transformation, with Dubai gaining access to Indian academic expertise, while India benefits from new R&D and innovation channels in the UAE.
This visit has not only reaffirmed strategic ties but has laid out a tactical economic blueprint that both nations are now positioned to implement.
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