Dr Waiel Awwad

In the rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape of the 21st century, the alliance between India and the Arab world is gaining remarkable momentum. At the forefront of this transformation stands the Indo and Arab Countries Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (IACCIA), headquartered in New Delhi. The Chamber has emerged as a dynamic force in transforming historical ties into modern economic partnerships, ushering in an era of shared prosperity, mutual growth, and strategic collaboration.

A Historic Bond Reimagined

India and the Arab world share centuries of cultural and commercial connection-woven together through trade routes, cuisine, language, spirituality and intellectual exchange. From the ancient spice routes of Gujarat to the philosophical and linguistic confluence during the Islamic Golden Age, this enduring relationship is being redefined by the demands of the modern era: technology, capital and innovation.

The IACCIA is playing a pivotal institutional role in revitalising this legacy with a forward-looking mission-to foster trade, investment, and industrial partnerships between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the broader Arab world.

Strategic Convergence: Technology Meets Capital

India has emerged as a global technology hub, home to more than 14 million skilled tech professionals, leading IT firms, biotech centres, AI start-ups, fintech disruptors and space innovation programs. Meanwhile, the Middle East/West Asia  holds vast capital reserves, with sovereign wealth funds in the GCC (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain and Qatar) managing trillions of dollars.

This presents a unique opportunity for synergy: India offers innovation and human capital; the Middle East offers financial strength. While China has aggressively pursued regional influence through initiatives like the Belt and Road, India’s democratic institutions, strategic autonomy and innovation-driven economy position it as a trusted and stable partner for the Arab world.

India and Arab Countries Chamber: Driving the Transformation

The IACCIA serves as the strategic bridge between these complementary strengths, with initiatives that include:

• Facilitating B2B and G2G Engagements: Organising trade delegations, bilateral forums, and expos to connect Indian businesses and policymakers with Arab counterparts.
• Attracting Sovereign Investments: Engaging with funds such as ADIA, PIF, and QIA to channel investments into India’s infrastructure, clean energy, agritech, fintech, and healthcare sectors.
• Promoting Joint Ventures: Supporting Indo-Arab collaborations in smart cities, petrochemical transformation, electric mobility and AI-enabled governance.
• Policy Advisory: Offering actionable insights, trade policy recommendations, and strategic roadmaps for bilateral cooperation in a post-oil world.

Cultural Affinity as a Soft Power Anchor

An often-overlooked asset in Indo-Arab relations is the deep cultural affinity. With over 9 million Indians living and working across the GCC, 14 million visit the region annually and more than 70 billion US Dollar revenue, India is more than a trading partner-it’s a familiar presence. Shared values, linguistic ties (such as Arabic with Urdu and Hindi) and mutual respect for traditions create a strong foundation for deeper economic integration.

The Chamber recognises the importance of cultural diplomacy in fostering trust. Through film festivals, educational exchanges, halal industry forums and joint cultural celebrations, the IACCC ensures that human connection remains central to commerce.

A Roadmap for Strategic Partnership

To unlock the full potential of Indo-Arab cooperation, the IACCIA has outlined a bold and pragmatic roadmap:

• Technology Transfer and Co-Innovation Hubs: Aligning Indian expertise in AI, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and space tech with Arab economic diversification strategies like Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE’s Operation 300bn.
• Investment Corridors and SEZs: Establishing India-Arab corridors with Special Economic Zones and tech parks to streamline trade, investment and workforce mobility.
• Green Energy Collaboration: Combining India’s leadership in solar, hydrogen, and clean tech with the Middle East’s energy transition goals to create solar farms, hydrogen pipelines, and carbon-trading systems.
• Digital Trade Agreements: Advocating for India-GCC digital trade frameworks encompassing e-commerce, data security, localisation, and digital services.
• Skill Development and Human Capital Exchange: Partnering with Indian institutions to train Arab youth in emerging fields like AI, robotics, fintech, and healthcare, building a future-ready workforce.

A Pillar in a Multipolar World

As the global order evolves toward multipolarity, India and the Arab world are emerging as key players in a broader South-South alliance. The Middle East is transforming beyond its identity as an energy supplier, just as India transcends its service economy label. The IACCC is at the heart of this recalibration-promoting deep, transformative engagement over transactional trade.

In a world fraught with supply chain shocks, technological disruption and climate instability, true resilience lies not in isolation but in strategic interdependence. Through platforms like the IACCIA, India and the Arab world can forge one of the most future-ready and resilient partnerships in the world.

The Way Forward

The future of India-Arab collaboration is more than economic-it is civilisational. With India’s unmatched technological capabilities and the Arab world’s financial prowess and strategic location, the two regions have the potential to shape a new model of prosperity for the Global South-equitable, inclusive, and innovative.

As Dr APJ Abdul Kalam once said, “When there is harmony between the mind, heart, and hands, great things happen.” The India and Arab Countries Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, embodies this harmony-blending innovation (mind), culture (heart) and trade (hands) to craft a shared destiny.

With a clear roadmap and deep cultural roots, the time is ripe for India and the Arab world to leap forward-together.

(The author is Acting Secretary General, IACCIA)