The emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates is one of the commercial and cultural hubs in the Middle East, with a large Indian population and direct flights to Mumbai that make UAE-India travel possible in less than three-and-a-half hours.
Taking these advantages into account, the Government of Sharjah hosted exclusive business-to-business (B2B) meetings in Mumbai on 13-14 February 2025, with the aim of fostering trade and investment tie-ups between businesses in India and Sharjah.
This emirate is also home to the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone), one of the best-known free zones in the Middle East. A delegation from this free zone was at the Mumbai event.
According to a press release: “The high-profile delegation from Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone), interacted with more than 40 individual Mumbai-based companies, offering them insights into lucrative business opportunities, tax incentives, and ease of doing business in Sharjah.”
Free zones in the UAE are set up with the specific purpose of attracting businesses that are interested in using the emirates as gateways for reaching markets in other parts of the world, or to reach the UAE market itself.
The geographical position of the UAE makes it a strategic hub for international trade, commerce, and logistics. The free zones in the UAE make setting up a business easier, giving expatriates and foreign investors full ownership of their companies and 100 per cent repatriation of capital and profits.
These are attractive elements for Mumbai-based companies, the city being considered the business capital of India.
Last week’s event was organised in strategic partnership with Theistic Business Consultants and We Spark Start Up Association. It provided Indian entrepreneurs, exporters, and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) with an opportunity to explore partnerships and expand their presence in global markets through Sharjah.
Sector-specific opportunities, incentives, and investment facilitation measures available in Sharjah were in focus at the Mumbai event.
The discussions highlighted India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) benefits, and how businesses in Mumbai can leverage the location of the UAE to reach out to global markets.
Delegates from Mumbai were enthusiastic about doing business in Sharjah through the SAIF Zone. They learned about investment opportunities in the UAE and the wider Middle East; about the benefits and incentives for foreign companies in UAE free zones; and discovered how Indian businesses can expand into the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
This exclusive engagement was designed for exporters, industrialists, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, start-ups, and traders keen on expanding their global footprint. The participation was by invitation.
