The UAE’s drive towards Net Zero by 2050 is opening a new multi-sector growth opportunity for Indian businesses, with companies expected to play an increasing role in renewable energy, waste management, sustainable construction, green finance, e-mobility and climate technology.
That was the key message from an executive webinar hosted today by the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC Dubai) Energy & Climate Focus Group, which examined what the UAE’s Net Zero ambitions mean for Indian companies.
The opportunity comes as India and the UAE seek to take bilateral trade to US$200 billion by 2030. Participants said the green economy could become an increasingly important pillar of that growth.
Keynote speaker Former Ambassador of India to the UAE H.E. Sunjay Sudhir said businesses should move ahead of regulation rather than wait for every detail to be finalised. “Compliance is a cost, but the cost of being late will be higher than the cost of being early.”
Sudhir highlighted the growing shift in the climate agenda from voluntary commitments towards compliance, pointing to Federal Decree No. 11 of 2024 and the need for greater awareness among companies and institutions.
“The transition from fossil fuels to clean energy is accelerating,” he said, highlighting the complementary strengths of the two markets: India’s technology, innovation and clean-energy pipeline, alongside the UAE’s capital, infrastructure and market access.
He added that the scale of India’s existing clean-energy ecosystem strengthens the case for greater India-UAE collaboration. Approximately 87% of India’s renewable energy capacity is privately owned, underlining that the energy transition is already a major commercial market for Indian companies rather than solely a government-led initiative.
Dr Samiullah Khan, CEO_CSO_NET ZERO -DACC -Energy Saving – Investor – Mentor and COP speaker, said the opportunity extends well beyond solar. Indian companies could participate in wind, microgrids, rooftop systems, geothermal energy, carbon credits, direct air carbon capture, energy-efficiency solutions and emissions measurement, alongside emerging opportunities in agritech and waste management.
“Businesses need to adapt and anticipate, rather than simply react,” Khan said, noting that the UAE’s Net Zero journey is creating demand for solutions that can be deployed quickly and at commercial scale.
The webinar identified building retrofits, waste management and e-mobility as particularly immediate opportunities for Indian businesses. The UAE’s ambition to reduce landfill dependency could create significant demand for Indian waste-management technologies and operating models, while India’s experience in electric motorcycles and building retrofits offers potential solutions that can be adapted for the UAE market.
Khan also highlighted the UAE’s drive to increase green spaces and transform desert environments, identifying opportunities for Indian agritech and water-efficient technologies.
A key example discussed was the 90/90 Waste Management Initiative, an India-led collaboration involving international partners and Dubai stakeholders, demonstrating how technology developed in India can be adapted and deployed in the UAE.
The discussion also highlighted the growing importance of emissions reporting and management. Businesses were encouraged to begin with Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, those most directly within their operational control, while preparing for the more complex challenge of Scope 3 emissions across supply chains.
“Fix what you can control,” Khan said, stressing that AI can help businesses measure and manage emissions, but technology must ultimately deliver commercially viable outcomes.
The increasing impact of sustainability on costs, risk and investment decisions also means that CFOs are likely to have a growing role in corporate climate strategies, participants said.
Dr Sahitya Chaturvedi, Secretary General, IBPC Dubai, said the Energy & Climate Focus Group was established to help businesses better understand the commercial implications of the UAE’s sustainability agenda. “This is not simply a climate conversation. It is about business contribution and opportunity,” he said.
Advait Thakur, Convener of the IBPC Dubai Energy & Climate Focus Group, added that IBPC Dubai plans to build on the initiative through continued industry engagement, as well as a Best Practices White Paper highlighting practical sustainability solutions and initiatives. “The opportunity is now to move from commitments to partnerships, pilots, investment and scalable green-economy solutions.”
