For many Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), international growth is no longer a novelty. From manufacturing and engineering to textiles, trading, pharmaceuticals, electronics and consumer goods, businesses across sectors have spent years building export relationships, entering overseas markets and expanding their customer base beyond India.Yet as businesses evolve, so do the questions they face.How can they reach new markets more efficiently? How can they strengthen distribution networks, improve supply-chain resilience and serve customers across multiple geographies? And what does it take to move from exporting products to building a sustained international presence?These questions are becoming increasingly relevant as businesses rethink how and where they operate. For enterprises that have already built scale in India, the next phase of growth may depend not only on what they produce, but also on the infrastructure, partnerships and regional presence they develop overseas.Among the destinations increasingly featured in these conversations is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located along major trade corridors linking Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe, the UAE has become an important base for companies seeking to manage regional operations, support international trade and access multiple markets from a single location.It is against this backdrop that the India-UAE Business Expansion Forum, presented by Ajman Free Zone in association with The Economic Times, will bring together exporters, manufacturers, trading companies, entrepreneurs and business leaders in Chennai on 24 August 2026 and Delhi-NCR on 26 August 2026.The forum will examine how Indian businesses can strengthen their global footprint, develop more agile operating models and unlock new growth opportunities through the UAE.Building the infrastructure for global growthAs supply chains evolve and businesses seek greater resilience, international expansion is becoming less about entering one overseas market at a time and more about building a platform that can support several markets simultaneously. The UAE is increasingly relevant to that conversation. Beyond its role as a trading destination, it is being evaluated by businesses as an operational base, distribution hub, warehousing centre and bridge to markets across the GCC, the wider Middle East, Africa and beyond.ET SpotlightFor Indian SMEs, this presents an opportunity to move beyond the traditional export model. The challenge is no longer simply producing for the world. It is learning how to serve the world more efficiently, respond faster to customers and organise cross-border operations in a way that can support long-term growth.The strategic value of Ajman Free ZoneThat is where Ajman Free Zone enters the conversation.As one of the UAE’s established free-zone ecosystems, Ajman Free Zone supports businesses across manufacturing, trading, logistics, services and emerging sectors. Its offering includes business setup solutions, warehousing facilities and investor support services, providing companies with a platform to establish regional operations, develop distribution networks and strengthen their supply chains.Strategically located within the Emirate of Ajman and connected to major ports, airports and regional trade corridors, Ajman Free Zone is positioned to support businesses evaluating operations across the UAE and wider international markets. For Indian companies, this could involve establishing a UAE-based entity, developing regional warehousing capabilities, exploring re-export models or creating a more efficient route to customers across multiple geographies.The forum is intended to make these possibilities more practical and easier to assess.How should a company structure its international presence? What role can a UAE entity play in unlocking new opportunities? How can warehousing and distribution capabilities improve responsiveness and operational efficiency? What does it take to build an effective re-export model serving multiple markets from a single base? And how can international expansion move from a long-term aspiration to a near-term business strategy?What to expectThe programme has been designed to move from insight to application, rather than remain a high-level discussion about international expansion.Registration and networking will begin at 10:00 am, giving participants an opportunity to meet fellow exporters, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and business decision-makers before the Master of Ceremonies opens the forum with a welcome note at 10:20 am. A keynote address by a senior leadership representative of the Free Zones Authority of Ajman will follow, offering perspectives on the UAE's evolving business landscape and the opportunities it presents for internationally ambitious Indian companies.The programme will then move into an Ajman Free Zone Overview and Q&A session led by Zubair Ul Islam, Director of Sales, Free Zones Authority of Ajman. The session will provide participants with a closer look at business setup, warehousing, operational support and the pathways available to companies seeking to establish or scale a presence in the UAE.The conversation will then broaden through two focused panels. The first will examine India-UAE business opportunities, while the second will focus on UAE business incorporation and global banking opportunities for Indian businesses. Together, the sessions will address both the commercial possibilities and the practical considerations involved in developing a UAE-based international business structure.Following the panel discussions, a dedicated audience Q&A session will allow participants to raise questions related to market entry, incorporation, warehousing, banking, distribution strategies and sector-specific expansion plans. The formal programme will conclude with closing remarks at 12:45 pm, followed by lunch and networking from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. This extended networking session will provide attendees with an opportunity to continue conversations with speakers, Ajman Free Zone representatives and fellow business leaders evaluating their next phase of international growth.For companies exploring incorporation, distribution, warehousing, re-export opportunities or international banking solutions, the value of the forum will lie not only in the presentations, but also in the opportunity to seek direct, practical answers to business-specific questions.Two cities, two growth storiesThe Chennai and Delhi-NCR editions will reflect the distinct strengths of their respective business ecosystems while addressing a shared ambition: building stronger routes to international markets.Chennai’s strong manufacturing base also makes it particularly relevant for businesses evaluating the UAE as a warehousing, distribution or regional operations hub. In Chennai, the focus will be on the needs of a major manufacturing and export economy. Tamil Nadu’s industrial base includes globally competitive auto component manufacturers, engineering companies, electronics producers, tyre and rubber businesses, pharmaceutical firms and healthcare product exporters.For these businesses, the next stage of growth may require more than additional production capacity. It may involve establishing regional distribution networks, developing warehousing operations, improving fulfilment capabilities and creating re-export channels that can serve customers across the GCC, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.The Chennai edition will therefore be particularly relevant to established SMEs, manufacturers and export houses seeking to connect industrial strength at home with more efficient international operations abroad.In Delhi-NCR, the focus will be shaped by the region’s role as a major centre for trading companies, export houses and international commerce businesses. Businesses across garments and textiles, import-export, general trading, handicrafts and home décor, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), food processing, agro exports and leather goods will find the discussions particularly relevant.For these companies, the priority may be to build more resilient and scalable structures around existing international relationships. That could mean developing a UAE-based distribution hub, exploring warehousing and re-export opportunities, or understanding how incorporation and banking arrangements can support long-term expansion across the GCC, Africa and Europe.The two editions are therefore not simply regional repeats. They are designed to connect the UAE opportunity to the different ways in which Chennai’s manufacturers and Delhi-NCR’s trading and export-led businesses approach global growth.Who should be in the room?The forum is intended for companies that are already thinking seriously about international expansion. This includes SME owners and promoters, founders, managing directors, exporters, trading companies, manufacturers, export houses and heads of international business.It will be particularly relevant to businesses with annual revenues between ₹5 crore and ₹200 crore, essentially companies that have achieved meaningful scale in India and are now evaluating how to build their next phase of growth beyond national borders.The discussions may also be relevant for investors, technology entrepreneurs and founders building solutions around trade, logistics, supply chains or international business services.The forum is not designed for businesses merely exploring globalisation as an abstract idea. It is aimed at decision-makers considering concrete questions around a UAE-based business presence, distribution, warehousing, re-export operations, incorporation or access to new regional markets.The opportunity to move earlyThe most compelling businesses of the coming decade may not be those that simply sell more products overseas. They may be the ones that build stronger international networks, establish a presence closer to customers, create more agile supply chains and learn how to compete across multiple markets at the same time.For Indian SMEs and growth-stage companies, that shift creates both an opportunity and a strategic test. The businesses that begin examining their operating models early may be better placed to respond when new markets, partnerships and distribution opportunities emerge.The India-UAE Business Expansion Forum arrives at that inflection point. It will bring together companies with international ambitions, senior representatives of the Free Zones Authority of Ajman and business professionals who can help translate those ambitions into practical questions and possible pathways.For attendees, the value lies in gaining a clearer understanding of what a UAE presence could mean for their business—and in having the opportunity to explore those possibilities directly with the people shaping that ecosystem.The Chennai forum will take place on 24 August 2026, followed by the Delhi-NCR edition on 26 August 2026. Participation is by invitation and confirmation.Businesses evaluating international expansion, regional distribution, warehousing, re-export operations or UAE incorporation can write to etspotlight@timesinternet.in for registration support and event-related queries.