India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar touched down in Abu Dhabi on 15 December for a whirlwind round of talks with UAE counterparts that officials say will focus heavily on mobility, labour cooperation and the next phase of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
The visit follows a record year for bilateral commerce—trade hit US $100 billion in the first ten months of 2025—and a surge in cross-border assignments as Indian technology and renewable-energy firms expand Gulf operations. According to the Indian Embassy, more than 3.5 million Indian nationals now live and work in the Emirates, making streamlined visa processes a strategic priority.
Diplomats are expected to discuss adding five-year multiple-entry business visas to the CEPA framework and mutual recognition of trusted-traveller programmes that would let pre-vetted executives clear immigration via the UAE’s Smart Gates and India’s DigiYatra facial-recognition corridors. Also on the agenda: protecting workers under the UAE’s new mandatory savings scheme and facilitating family-reunification visas for mid-skilled employees.
![India’s foreign-minister lands in UAE for high-level consultations, clearing path for easier business travel]()
Organisations and individual travellers looking for real-time visa guidance in anticipation of these policy shifts can leverage VisaHQ’s online portal, which already facilitates UAE e-visas, Indian business visas and multi-entry permits. The platform walks users through required documents, fees and biometric appointments, and its concierge team monitors regulatory updates so applications stay compliant—a useful bridge until the proposed CEPA upgrades take effect. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/.
For global-mobility managers the talks could translate into tangible benefits as early as Q2 2026. UAE officials have hinted that Indian business travellers may soon enjoy simplified e-visa renewals without leaving the country—a move that would end costly “visa runs” to neighboring states. Indian authorities, for their part, are studying whether UAE Golden Visa holders can be fast-tracked for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status, easing longer-term deployment of Emirati-based talent into Indian projects.
While no agreements will be signed during this trip, observers note that Jaishankar’s presence underscores the political will on both sides to push mobility reforms forward. Companies with large India–UAE travel volumes should monitor joint statements for timelines and pilot programmes that could reduce administrative friction in 2026.
The visit follows a record year for bilateral commerce—trade hit US $100 billion in the first ten months of 2025—and a surge in cross-border assignments as Indian technology and renewable-energy firms expand Gulf operations. According to the Indian Embassy, more than 3.5 million Indian nationals now live and work in the Emirates, making streamlined visa processes a strategic priority.
Diplomats are expected to discuss adding five-year multiple-entry business visas to the CEPA framework and mutual recognition of trusted-traveller programmes that would let pre-vetted executives clear immigration via the UAE’s Smart Gates and India’s DigiYatra facial-recognition corridors. Also on the agenda: protecting workers under the UAE’s new mandatory savings scheme and facilitating family-reunification visas for mid-skilled employees.
Organisations and individual travellers looking for real-time visa guidance in anticipation of these policy shifts can leverage VisaHQ’s online portal, which already facilitates UAE e-visas, Indian business visas and multi-entry permits. The platform walks users through required documents, fees and biometric appointments, and its concierge team monitors regulatory updates so applications stay compliant—a useful bridge until the proposed CEPA upgrades take effect. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/.
For global-mobility managers the talks could translate into tangible benefits as early as Q2 2026. UAE officials have hinted that Indian business travellers may soon enjoy simplified e-visa renewals without leaving the country—a move that would end costly “visa runs” to neighboring states. Indian authorities, for their part, are studying whether UAE Golden Visa holders can be fast-tracked for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status, easing longer-term deployment of Emirati-based talent into Indian projects.
While no agreements will be signed during this trip, observers note that Jaishankar’s presence underscores the political will on both sides to push mobility reforms forward. Companies with large India–UAE travel volumes should monitor joint statements for timelines and pilot programmes that could reduce administrative friction in 2026.
