India leads the way in UAE greenfield investment

India was the leading source of greenfield foreign direct investment capital into the UAE last year, while the UK topped in terms of project launches, a report by Emirates NBD has found.

Dubai, the second-largest recipient of greenfield FDI projects globally, attracted 1,202 projects (81 percent of total) with capital inflows of $8.45 billion. The report did not specify which country or city was number one in the project ranking.

Greenfield investment is when a company launches a business abroad without relying on any existing infrastructure.

Ras Al Khaimah emerged as the largest recipient by capital, drawing $10.6 billion across 17 projects, ranking it sixth globally in capital FDI inflows, the report said.

Abu Dhabi secured 180 projects worth $5.2 billion, while Sharjah attracted 46 projects valued at $1.8 billion.

Overall, greenfield FDI rose 79 percent to $33.2 billion last year, from $18.7 billion in 2024. The UAE ranked 10th globally in FDI capital inflows. The names of other countries on the top 10 list were not disclosed. 

FDI capital from India reached $12.6 billion across 275 projects, driven primarily by the $10 billion smart manufacturing centre for electric vehicle maker Erisha E Mobility in Ras Al Khaimah. 

The US ranked second in capital investment with $10.3 billion across 219 projects, anchored by Microsoft’s $5.5 billion data centre expansion and the Stargate AI campus in Abu Dhabi.

The UK invested in 291 projects, but capital investment was $1.2 billion, focusing on smaller-scale services and technology. 

FDI contributions from China hit $1.3 billion, France $1.2 billion and Kuwait $963 million.

Over the 2021–2025 period, the UAE attracted cumulative greenfield FDI of $98.4 billion across 5,603 projects, representing a compound annual growth rate of 32 percent, Emirates NBD said.

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