Tuesday, June 22, 201

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is increasingly becoming a major market for Indian SMEs and a key destination for them to expand their global presence. With India emerging as the largest trade partner of the oil rich nation in the first 4 months of 2010, it indicates that Indian companies, including SMEs, are stepping up trade ties with the UAE. India had the maximum share of Dubai's total imports during the aforesaid period, followed by China and the US. In recent times, the consumer electronic sector in the UAE has been attracting Indian SMEs because of its duty-free marketing environment. Venturing into the electronics market of the UAE has also given an opportunity to Indian firms to increase their clientele in the African markets. Moreover, with the commencement of the Dubai Shopping festival since 1996, Indian SMEs in the consumer electronic segment have got the ideal platform for displaying their products and services in the global arena. Leveraging on lower production costs coupled with advanced manufacturing technology in India, the demand for products made in India are high in the UAE. The UAE has also been importing goods such as gem and jewellery, garments and metals from India and it is anticipated that trade with Indian SMEs in these sectors as well as in other sectors such as insurance and transportation will increase in the coming days.

Arup Choudhury