1,146 weekly flights: UAE and India eye even stronger aviation and tourism ties

Dubai: The UAE and India are exploring new opportunities to deepen cooperation in tourism, civil aviation, advanced manufacturing and innovation as the two countries seek to build on one of the region's fastest-growing economic partnerships.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, held a series of high-level meetings with senior Indian ministers and officials during an official visit to India, where discussions focused on strengthening collaboration across priority sectors, expanding investment opportunities and supporting long-term economic growth.

During the visit, Bin Touq held meetings with Piyush Goyal, India's Minister of Commerce and Industry; Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation; and Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

His itinerary also includes Investopia Ahmedabad in Gujarat and a UAE-India business forum focused on the food sector in Andhra Pradesh.

"The UAE continues to broaden the horizons of its partnership with India across the economies of the future, creating high-quality opportunities for businesses and investors in both friendly nations," Bin Touq said.

He stressed that UAE-India economic relations have developed to become a model of strategic cooperation built on the shared vision of both countries' leadership, with partnerships spanning innovation, knowledge-based industries and sustainable growth.

India is one of the UAE's most significant economic partners, with Indian businesses continuing to expand their presence in the Emirates. The number of Indian companies operating in the UAE reached 290,222 by the end of the first half of 2026, marking annual growth of nearly 16.7 per cent, reflecting sustained investor confidence and the country's business-friendly regulatory environment.

Tourism and aviation featured prominently in the discussions, with both sides seeking to strengthen air connectivity and support rising travel demand. India remains the UAE's largest source market for visitors, underpinned by close economic, commercial and people-to-people ties.

Bin Touq said expanding cooperation in tourism and civil aviation would help accelerate economic and tourism growth while creating new investment opportunities and supporting the development of tourism products and services.

The two countries are currently connected by 1,146 weekly flights operated by their national carriers, one of the world's busiest international air corridors. During talks with India's civil aviation minister, both sides explored opportunities to expand connectivity further, exchange expertise and cooperate on aviation innovation, sustainability and digital transformation to improve the movement of passengers and cargo.

Discussions with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal focused on strengthening industrial and economic cooperation, including advanced manufacturing, innovation and technology. The ministers also explored opportunities to reinforce supply chain integration, capitalise on both countries' advanced logistics infrastructure and support the international expansion of Emirati and Indian companies.

They also underlined the importance of increasing private-sector participation through joint investment projects and partnerships in emerging industries, advanced technologies and sustainable economic development.

Bin Touq also highlighted the strategic importance of advancing the UAE-India economic corridor and deepening integration across manufacturing, logistics and supply chains, saying the initiative would reinforce both countries' roles as regional and global trade hubs linking international markets.

During his meeting with Om Birla, Speaker of India's lower house of parliament, both sides reaffirmed the strength of the longstanding bilateral relationship and discussed expanding institutional cooperation, exchanging expertise and sharing best practices to support economic competitiveness and policy development.