Incheon:Andhra Pradesh Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, engaged in strategic discussions with key Indian ministers, including N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, during the 31st Partnership Summit organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
According to Emirates News Agency, the bilateral meetings focused on strengthening economic partnerships between the UAE and India in areas such as food security, tourism, entrepreneurship, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Bin Touq emphasized the importance of economic cooperation, highlighting the UAE's commitment to unlocking new opportunities and supporting sustainable growth.
The discussions also revealed that 42,355 Indian companies entered the UAE market in the first nine months of 2026, marking an 18.14% increase from the previous year. Additionally, Bin Touq noted the expansion of economic cooperation, with 1,153 direct flights per week between the UAE and India as of October 2026.
Bin Touq outlined the UAE's vision for developing economic clusters, including the Food Cluster, which aims to enhance the food value chain and increase contributions to GDP. The meetings explored opportunities for UAE companies to expand in Andhra Pradesh and for both sides to exchange expertise to support SME growth.
Further discussions with India's Minister of Commerce and Industry focused on expanding the economic partnership in priority sectors and fostering sustainable economic models. Meanwhile, talks with the Minister of Civil Aviation addressed boosting travel and tourism, with India being the UAE's largest source market for international visitors in 2025.
In his meeting with Andhra Pradesh's Minister for Information Technology, Bin Touq explored enhancing cooperation in the digital economy and financial technology, aiming to accelerate digital transformation and stimulate innovation in both countries.