RAS question
What is the bilateral trade target agreed upon by India and UAE during UAE President's visit in January 2026?
Correct answer: (C) $200 billion by 2032.
India and the UAE agreed to double bilateral trade to over US$ 200 billion by 2032 during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to India.
Explanation
The agreed bilateral trade target was over US$ 200 billion by 2032. The PIB outcome document from the UAE President's visit lists this as a specific economic outcome: India and the UAE would double bilateral trade to over US$ 200 billion by 2032. That makes option C correct because it captures both the amount and the deadline. The same outcome list also shows why the target was part of a broader strategic push, not a standalone number: it refers to linking MSME industries on both sides and promoting new markets through initiatives such as Bharat Mart, the Virtual Trade Corridor and Bharat-Africa Setu. The visit also produced agreements such as a 10-year LNG arrangement and a Letter of Intent on Strategic Defence Partnership.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) US$ 100 billion by 2030 understates the PIB-listed target and gives the wrong deadline.
- (B) US$ 150 billion by 2030 is not the target recorded in the visit outcomes, which specify over US$ 200 billion by 2032.
- (D) US$ 250 billion by 2035 is neither the amount nor the timeline stated in the PIB outcome document.
Concept
This tests India-UAE economic diplomacy under the Indian Economy and international economic relations syllabus. It recurs in RAS because trade targets, energy deals and strategic partnerships link current affairs with external-sector policy.