Ajman Free Zone targets secondary Indian cities, China as it ramps up global expansion

Dubai: Ajman Free Zone is stepping up its international expansion, planning to double its overseas presence by next year as it seeks to attract more manufacturers, SMEs and investors from India, China and other key markets.

Speaking at the RESET & RISE – The Road Ahead for Business event, organised by Ajman Free Zone and supported by Gulf News, Zubair Ul Islam, Director of Sales at Ajman Free Zone Authority, said the authority has opened 10 international offices in recent months and aims to increase that number to 20 by next year.

India remains a major focus, with three offices already operating in Delhi, Kerala and Chennai. The authority has also expanded into markets including China, Turkey, Russia, Egypt and Paris as it seeks to engage businesses closer to their home markets.

"We are heavily invested in India," Islam said, adding that the strategy is to reach businesses in tier-2 and tier-3 cities that remain underserved.

“I travel to India a lot... the opportunity is huge, not only for Ajman but for the UAE in general. Our aim is to be at their place, educate customers there and make their investment journey as easy as possible,” said Islam.

Established in 1988, Ajman Free Zone today serves more than 20,000 customers from around 200 nationalities, with some businesses having operated there for more than three decades.

Manufacturing back in focus

Ajman Free Zone also plans to secure more industrial land to attract larger manufacturing projects from countries such as China and India.

Islam said discussions around large manufacturing investments had slowed briefly but have since resumed.

"There are bigger projects coming to this country, and Ajman is also part of them," he said. The authority is working with government leadership to identify additional industrial land for marketing to global manufacturers, describing the sector as one of its key priorities going forward.

Investor confidence remains intact

Despite recent geopolitical uncertainty, Islam said investor sentiment towards the UAE has remained resilient.

"I personally have not seen any dip in investors' confidence," he said, adding that macroeconomic indicators continue to point towards positive business activity.

He noted that Ajman Free Zone recorded a "remarkable June", which he said typically provides an indication of business activity heading into the second half of the year.

Retail and automotive expansion

Ajman Free Zone is also preparing to expand its retail infrastructure. Islam said China Mall Ajman currently operates around 1,300 retail shops with occupancy of about 95 per cent. A second phase of the development is planned over the next three years to meet growing demand.

The authority is also expanding its automotive district, which caters to the UAE's vehicle re-export industry.

The site has around 500 plots, with approximately 350 already occupied. Islam said the authority is in advanced discussions with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD to open a showroom within the district.

Faster business setup

Islam said investments in digital systems have significantly reduced the time needed to establish businesses. "I remember when business setup used to take 10 to 15 days," he said. "It has reduced to about an hour."

He added that the free zone continues to invest in digital services while expanding into areas such as family offices, offshore structures and specialised licensing.

The authority currently offers more than 3,000 business activities across multiple sectors and says that designated free zone status remains an important tax advantage for businesses. Ajman Free Zone has also rolled out a 25 per cent discount for entreprenuers wishing to launch their businesses, starting from Dh4,166.

Growing industrial base

Islam said the emirate generated around $10 billion in GDP in 2024, with manufacturing continuing to play a major role in the economy. He cited figures from the Ajman Chamber, indicating that small and medium-sized factories in the emirate exported around $1.4 billion in goods to Saudi Arabia last year.

Textiles, plastics and other industrial sectors also continue to contribute significantly to Ajman’s economy, while finance, insurance and real estate are also seeing strong growth, he stated.