India demonstrated a robust presence at the ‘Gulfood 2026’, the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade exhibition in Dubai. This year, India’s participation in the event has been the largest ever, with over 600 Indian companies showcasing a diverse range of products including staples, fresh produce, processed foods, beverages, agri-tech, and food processing. As the Country Partner, India received significant branding at the exhibition venues, along with exclusive conference sessions and increased B2B engagement opportunities.
Key Indian products highlighted at Gulfood 2026 encompass Basmati rice, more than 10 Indian GI-tagged rice varieties, processed food items, millets, groundnuts, tea, spices, turmeric, organic products, and fresh fruits and vegetables, as per the Commerce Ministry. The Indian Pavilion at the APEDA Pavilion, Dubai Expo City, was inaugurated by Secretary AP Das Joshi from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, in the presence of Ambassador Dr. Deepak Mittal.
The UAE stands as the primary market for APEDA’s scheduled products and acts as a gateway to the Gulf region, which is a significant destination for India’s agricultural exports. The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has notably impacted bilateral trade, especially in the food processing industry and agricultural exports, stated the ministry. Moreover, more than 500 Indian companies, mainly institutional and large players, are participating independently at the exhibition venues.
India’s participation at Gulfood 2026 also features the presence of eight startups under APEDA’s BHARATI initiative, Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement, and Incubation for Export Enablement. The ministry emphasized that India’s role as the Country Partner at ‘Gulfood 2026’ underscores the country’s dedication to delivering high-quality, safe, sustainable, and innovative food products to global markets.
