DP World has officially announced the commencement of construction for Bharat Mart in Dubai, a significant development set to enhance trade opportunities for Indian exporters. This massive project will span 2.7 million square feet and is designed as a B2B and B2C marketplace, with an expected opening by the end of 2026 in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza).

The Bharat Mart will feature 1 500 showrooms along with over 700 000 square feet allocated for warehousing, light industrial units, office space, and meeting facilities. A notable aspect of the project is its commitment to support women-led businesses from India, which will have dedicated spaces within the marketplace.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, highlighted that non-oil bilateral trade between India and the UAE has exceeded $80 billion. He noted that with more than 2 300 Indian companies operating in Jafza, the Bharat Mart will further enhance the partnership by providing Indian goods with quicker access to global markets.

Situated just 11 kilometers from Jebel Ali Port and 15 kilometers from Al Maktoum International Airport, with the Etihad Rail nearby, Bharat Mart will facilitate access for Indian businesses to a multimodal logistics network. This will connect them to 150 maritime destinations and over 300 cities worldwide.

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry for the Government of India, praised DP World’s efforts in developing the Virtual Trade Corridor between India and the UAE, stating that it will elevate trade and commerce in line with the goals set by the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). He also expressed appreciation for DP World’s initiatives aimed at enabling Indian businesses and MSMEs to penetrate African markets.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, stated that the aim is to achieve $100 billion in non-oil trade between India and the UAE by 2030, with Bharat Mart serving as a crucial element in reaching this milestone.

The construction of Bharat Mart coincides with the launch of Bharat Africa Setu, a transformative trade initiative aimed at doubling trade between India and Africa while reinforcing South-South cooperation. This initiative will connect DP World’s ports, economic zones, and logistics parks, granting Indian exporters access to 53 African countries and 260 000 sales points through an integrated trade ecosystem.

Currently, Africa imports around $430 billion worth of goods, but India accounts for only 6.5 percent of that total, exporting $28 billion in goods to the continent. With the implementation of Bharat Africa Setu, this figure is anticipated to increase to 12 percent by 2030, significantly enhancing India’s trade footprint in Africa.