Abu Dhabi to enhance economic partnership with Singapore, India

As part of its ongoing efforts to build and cement relations with leading economies, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) will lead a high-level economic delegation to Singapore and India from 17 to 21 November 2025.

The two visits reaffirm the emirate’s commitment to expanding international engagement, advancing bilateral trade and investment relations, and unlocking new opportunities for sustainable development.

The Abu Dhabi economic delegation will hold meetings with senior government officials, investors, and business leaders in both Singapore and India to explore partnerships in sectors with high growth potential, including agritech, healthcare and life sciences, advanced technologies, renewable energy, financial services, logistics, and manufacturing.

Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: "Singapore and India are among the world’s most dynamic, fast-growing economies, and are key strategic partners for Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Our visit aims to deepen these partnerships by engaging policymakers, business, and investment leaders to create and seize opportunities in various sectors.” "Powered by visionary leadership and an enabling ecosystem that supports innovation and entrepreneurship, Abu Dhabi’s ‘Falcon Economy’ continues to soar and accelerate our transition to smart, diversified, and sustainable economy. Backed by strong economic fundamentals and a world-class investment landscape, we are doubling down our efforts to further strengthen collaboration with local and international partners in strategic economic clusters including AI, fintech, green energy, life sciences, logistics, and advanced industries”.

Special forums and events will be organised in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ADGM, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), bringing together influential businesses and investors to discuss pathways for long-term partnerships.

These events will showcase the opportunities arising from Abu Dhabi’s economic transformation and diversification initiatives, highlighting the emirate’s position as a global magnet for talent, business, and investment.

Led by Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, the delegation consists of over 100 senior representatives from leading Abu Dhabi government and private sector entities, including Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, Undersecretary of ADDED, Rashed Al Blooshi, CEO of ADGM Registration Authority, Badr Al-Olama, Director General, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Director General, Abu Dhabi Customs, Shamis Al Dhaheri, Second Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed Alshaiba Al Sharyani, Executive Director of Executive Affairs Sector at ADDED, and Hareb Al Mheiri, Executive Director of the Investor Growth Sector, ADIO.

Singapore and India are among Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s most significant trade and investment partners. Bilateral trade between the UAE and Singapore exceeded USD 18.5 billion, while non-oil trade with India surpassed $65 billion in 2024, driven by strong cooperation in energy, technology, and services.

The economic partnership agreements with both countries continue to open new channels for investment and trade diversification.

Notable Singaporean and Indian firms with a presence in ADGM include Seviora Group and RB Capital/Royal Holdings (Singapore), and SBI Capital Markets Limited (SBICAPS), Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, DSK Legal, Kotak Mahindra Financial Services, 100 Unicorns, 9 Unicorns Global Capital Management Limited, and Cohesion Asset Management (India), underscoring Abu Dhabi’s role as a bridge between Asia and global capital.

ADGM now hosts more than 11,000 active licences and over 2,900 operational entities, making it the largest international financial centre in the region by that measure.

Reflecting the depth of ties with India, membership of Indian companies at the Abu Dhabi Chamber has expanded rapidly, reaching 17,457 active memberships as of September 2025. In 2024 alone, 3,375 new Indian companies joined, representing a 31.1 %annual increase and a 38.4%compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2019 and 2024.

Abu Dhabi’s thriving, innovation-led business ecosystem continues to attract companies from Singapore and India, with a growing number of enterprises in fintech, healthcare, infrastructure, and education, establishing regional operations in the emirate to access global markets, benefiting from its world-class infrastructure, connectivity, and regulatory environment.

Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) - the custodian and regulator of the Abu Dhabi’s real estate sector, today announced that Abu Dhabi’s real estate market recorded a total trading volume of Dhs 94 billion across 29,400 transactions during the first nine months of 2025, marking a 43.3% increase in value and a 48% surge in transaction volume compared with the same period last year.

This performance reflects Abu Dhabi’s growing appeal as one of the most trusted and transparent property markets in the region. The consistent rise in both transaction value and volume illustrates sustained confidence from homebuyers, investors, and financial institutions supported by ADREC’s ongoing digital transformation and regulatory initiatives aimed at enhancing market transparency and efficiency.

Out of the total trading volume, Dhs 61.8 billion was generated from sales and purchases through 16,887 transactions, while mortgage activity contributed Dhs 32.2 billion across 12,666 transactions. These figures highlight a balanced performance across end-users and investors, with mortgage trends reflecting stronger financing confidence and institutional participation.

"These results affirm the strength of Abu Dhabi’s real estate market fundamentals and the maturity of its investors,” said Engineer Rashed Al Omaira, Acting Director General of ADREC said: "With greater transparency , reliable data , and effective regulation, the sector continues to create real economic value reflected in a 9% increase in its Non-Oil GDP contribution to 21.9 Dhs billion in H1 2025 compared with Dhs 20.2 billion a year earlier. This alignment between policy, performance, and productivity is what continues to define Abu Dhabi’s real-estate success story.” The construction sector also recorded strong performance, posting a 10 % increase in value contribution to Dhs 57.5 billion, up from Dhs 52.3 billion during the same period in 2024. Combined, real-estate and construction activities contributed Dhs 79.5 billion, representing 24 % of Abu Dhabi’s non-oil GDP during the first half of 2025.

WAM