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Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · AE

India United Arab Emirates

India exported USD 37.10 bn to United Arab Emirates in 2024, led by HS 27, and imported USD 55.73 bn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementIndia-UAE CEPA
  • CurrencyAED د.إ
  • Time−1h30 vs IST
  • CapitalAbu Dhabi
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for United Arab Emirates How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to United Arab Emirates · Sea
  3. Air leg to United Arab Emirates · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 37.10 bn
Imports into India
USD 55.73 bn
Trade partner rank
#3

Happiness, on this lane, is the buyer in Abu Dhabi whose goods arrive on the promised day, and the shipper in India who never has to chase.

At a glance

Region
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanWestern Asia
Income group
High incomeWorld Bank
Currency
AEDUnited Arab Emirates dirham
Languages
Arabic
Capital
Abu Dhabi
Time
−1h30 vs ISTUTC+04:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#38.20% of India's trade

Trade agreements: Preferential access under: India-UAE CEPA · India-GCC FTA: under negotiation. Sources: World Bank country classification; ISO 4217 and languages via mledoze/countries; IANA time zones; agreements per India Briefing FTA tracker and Invest India.

Ship from India to United Arab Emirates

USD 37.10 bnIndia's exports to United Arab Emirates, 2024 (FOB)
8.54%of India's exports to the world
USD 92.84 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to United Arab Emirates, 2024
  1. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 8.62 bn23%
  2. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 7.30 bn20%
  3. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 3.50 bn9%
  4. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 1.63 bn4%
  5. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 1.62 bn4%

Gateways in United Arab Emirates

Seaports: Jebel Ali (AEJEA) · Khalifa Port (Abu Dhabi) (AEKHL)

Airports: Dubai International (DXB) · Al Maktoum International (Dubai World Central) (DWC) · Abu Dhabi International (AUH) · Sharjah International (SHJ)

Editor-curated main cargo gateways (VERIFY). Direct service from India NOT verified.

Transit time

Nhava Sheva (INNSA) → Jebel Ali (AEJEA): 5-8 days by sea (FCL), port to port. published freight-estimator ranges, port to port, not a carrier guarantee. Sources: searates.com, flexport.com

Trade lane: Nhava Sheva → Jebel Ali →

Source: UN Comtrade, 2024. India as reporter; exports FOB, imports CIF; general trade, all modes; HS 2022 (H6) chapters. Retrieved 29 Sep 2026.

Import from United Arab Emirates to India

USD 55.73 bnIndia's imports from United Arab Emirates, 2024 (CIF)
60%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from United Arab Emirates, 2024
  1. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 25.98 bn47%
  2. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 22.79 bn41%
  3. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 2.03 bn4%
  4. HS 39 Plastics and articles thereof USD 1.02 bn2%
  5. HS 74 Copper and articles thereof USD 877.3 mn2%

On arrival in India the importer files a bill of entry on ICEGATE; customs assesses basic customs duty, the social welfare surcharge and IGST on the assessable value. To pay the lower rate under India-UAE CEPA, the importer must hold origin proof and answer CAROTAR 2020 origin checks. Read the import guide →

How SSL moves it

Road in India, then sea or air onward

India leg: by road to the Indian gateway

SSL's fleet moves your cargo by road to and from India's ports and airports.

International leg. The international sea or air leg is arranged by our desk, and our desk arranges customs clearance.

Ask our desk for a quote Email the desk

Outside India? Email (corporatesales@sslpl.in) is the easiest way for our desk to reply across time zones. WhatsApp +91 75062 45557 works too.

Documents

General guidance: verify every shipment with your customs broker and the current DGFT and CBIC notifications.

IEC
An Importer-Exporter Code from DGFT is needed for any commercial shipment to or from United Arab Emirates. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to United Arab Emirates in 2024 was HS 27. The 8-digit ITC(HS) code goes on the shipping bill. Guide →
Incoterms
State one Incoterms 2020 rule on the invoice. FOB or CIF suit a port-to-port sea leg; FCA or CPT suit containers handed over inland. Guide →
Certificate of origin
Preferential CoO available under: India-UAE CEPA Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and United Arab Emirates

Does India have a free trade agreement with United Arab Emirates?
Yes. Goods can qualify for preferential duty under India-UAE CEPA, provided they meet the rules of origin and carry a preferential certificate of origin. India-GCC FTA is under negotiation. Source: India Briefing FTA tracker / Invest India, 2026.
What does India export to United Arab Emirates?
India exported USD 37.10 bn of goods to United Arab Emirates in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 8.62 bn), HS 71 natural, cultured pearls (USD 7.30 bn), HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 3.50 bn). That is 8.54% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from United Arab Emirates?
India imported USD 55.73 bn from United Arab Emirates in 2024, mainly HS 71 natural, cultured pearls (USD 25.98 bn), HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 22.79 bn), HS 88 aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof (USD 2.03 bn). To claim a lower agreement rate on these goods, the importer needs origin proof under CAROTAR 2020. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, imports CIF.
How big is India-United Arab Emirates trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and United Arab Emirates was USD 92.84 bn in 2024, 8.20% of India's total, which ranks United Arab Emirates number 3 among India's trading partners. India imports more than it exports on this lane. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024.
How long does shipping from India to United Arab Emirates take?
Nhava Sheva (INNSA) to Jebel Ali (AEJEA) by sea (FCL) takes about 5-8 days port to port, based on published freight-estimator ranges, port to port, not a carrier guarantee. Add the road leg to the Indian port and clearance at both ends. Sources: searates.com, flexport.com, 2026.
What certificate of origin do I need to export to United Arab Emirates?
A preferential certificate of origin under India-UAE CEPA lets the buyer in United Arab Emirates claim the lower duty; both kinds are issued through the DGFT e-CoO platform (coo.dgft.gov.in). Check the buyer's letter of credit or import rules for the exact form. Source: DGFT, 2026.
What is the time difference between India and United Arab Emirates?
Abu Dhabi runs at UTC+04:00 in 2026, which is −1h30 vs IST. Plan calls and cut-offs with our desk in IST; we reply by email across time zones. Source: IANA time-zone database, 2026.
Does Safe & Secure Logistics clear customs for United Arab Emirates shipments?
Yes. Our desk arranges clearance for your shipment, or works with your own broker, while SSL's fleet runs the road leg in India. Our desk shares the operator's licence and documents for your shipment on request. Source: SSL site facts, 29 Sep 2026.

Keep exploring

Data: UN Comtrade 2024 · retrieved 29 Sep 2026. Company figures appear only where sourced from SSL's own register.

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