Doing business in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has enjoyed strong economic, political and cultural ties with India dating back more than a century.

In the economic realm, bilateral trade has been expanding: the total annual trade between the two countries has increased from US$180 million in the 1970s to over US$18 billion in 2010. Indeed, the UAE is the second largest global market for Indian products and services and continues to be receptive to Indian investment.

The law in the UAE

The UAE is a civil law jurisdiction and its federal constitution apportions powers between the federal government and the seven constituent emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain.

Sai Pidatala is an associate in the Dubai office of Afridi & Angell, a UAE-based law firm. He can be contacted at spidatala@afridi-angell.com.

Afridi & Angell’s comprehensive knowledge and experience in the Gulf, Middle East and South Asia is highly sought after by clients including the top law firms in New York, London, Paris and from across Asia. Afridi & Angell has eight partners across three offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.