A new report from the UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter and Arthur D. Little highlights how AI, digital payments, omnichannel retail and smart supply chains are reshaping cross-border commerce between the UAE and India.
The UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) and Arthur D. Little have launched a strategic report titled The India–UAE Corridor: From Access to Advantage – Opportunities for Growth in the Consumer and Retail Sectors.
The report positions the India–UAE corridor as a rapidly evolving digital commerce ecosystem where technology innovation, data-driven retail strategies, digital payments and interconnected supply chains are becoming central to long-term growth.
The report explores how the India–UAE economic relationship is evolving from a traditional trade corridor into a digitally enabled consumer and retail ecosystem shaped by AI-driven analytics, changing consumer expectations, policy reform, omnichannel commerce and resilient regional supply chains.
Commenting on the findings, Faizal Kottikollon said: “The next phase of India–UAE economic collaboration will be driven by companies that combine localization with technology-enabled execution. Consumer and retail sectors are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation because they sit at the intersection of innovation, digital adoption, supply chain modernization and evolving customer behaviour.”
The report includes insights from executives at companies including Landmark Group, Apparel Group, LuLu Group, Tata Consumer Products and Britannia Industries – highlighting how retailers are increasingly leveraging digital infrastructure, fintech integration and data-led customer engagement to scale across both markets.
The report notes that India offers massive scale and long-term growth potential supported by rising Internet penetration, mobile commerce adoption and a rapidly expanding middle class. The UAE, meanwhile, provides a high-performance retail environment with advanced infrastructure, smart payment ecosystems and globally benchmarked customer experience standards.
The report concludes that future success will depend on businesses investing in AI-enabled operations, localized digital engagement, strategic partnerships, integrated supply chains and seamless omnichannel retail experiences across both markets.
