India and UAE trade tops $100 billion after 2022 FTA
India and the United Arab Emirates just hit a big milestone: trade between the two countries has topped $100 billion.
This jump comes after their free trade agreement kicked in back in May 2022, which, according to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, has opened up fresh opportunities not just between India and the UAE, but also in Africa, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and Europe.
India exports to UAE rise
Sectors like gems and jewelry, engineering goods, electronics, and agriculture are leading this growth.
In 2025-26, India's exports to the UAE went up nearly 2% to $37.36 billion; imports rose slightly too.
However, India still faces a trade deficit of about $26.5 billion with the UAE.
On top of that, investment from the UAE into India dropped: during April-December 2025-26, foreign direct investment (FDI) was $2.45 billion, down from $4.34 billion in 2024-25, hinting at changing investment vibes between both nations.