Dubai and India have accelerated their co-operation in agentic AI with the signing of a preliminary agreement that would help private-sector firms adopt the technology.
The deal, signed between Dubai Chambers and India's National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), is also expected to support Indian companies specialising in this technology in establishing a foothold in the Emirates, the state news agency Wam reported on Wednesday.
Agentic AI refers to systems that can understand a goal, decide what steps to take and carry them out with limited human supervision, and are increasingly being used in operations and mobile devices to aid users. The UAE and India first agreed on AI co-operation in 2018.
For companies, the technology could automate more complex processes than conventional AI tools, with agents able to complete multi-step workflows such as handling customer requests, processing documents, managing procurement, carrying out compliance checks and providing technical support. This could help businesses reduce operating costs, speed up services and allow employees to focus on tasks requiring human judgment.
Business boost
Nasscom represents more than 3,500 members across the technology sector that comprise India's estimated $315 billion industry. The Noida-based body expects the agreement to spur the exchange of expertise and help them tap into business opportunities in the UAE.
For Indian technology companies, the agreement could provide access to a market that is actively encouraging businesses to adopt agentic AI, while Dubai companies could gain access to India's large pool of technology companies, developers and AI expertise.
“Dubai’s efforts to support the private sector’s transition towards Agentic AI represent a pioneering global initiative to strengthen the competitiveness of the business community,” Dubai Chambers president and chief executive Mohammad Lootah said.
These would also “help companies capitalise on advanced technologies and their applications in the future economy”, he added.
National ambitions
The government of Dubai has been steadfast in its AI ambitions: In April, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, set out plans for half of all government services to be delivered using AI agents within two years.
It aims to transform 50 per cent of UAE government sectors, services and operations to agentic AI within that period. The government said the systems would support decision-making, improve services, increase operational efficiency and evaluate results and introduce improvements in real time.
The following month, Dubai unveiled a two-year action plan to harness advanced AI in the emirate's private sector in an effort to secure a “competitive edge” in the global workplace of the future.
The plan provides businesses with more concrete support than an adoption target. Dubai Chamber of Commerce is to introduce specialised agentic AI training for all of its business councils, while Dubai Chambers has been directed to establish incubators for agentic AI companies and dedicated funds to support the transition.
Dubai says the programme is intended to turn private-sector companies into “self-innovating hubs” that increase productivity and reduce costs. Dubai Chambers has also said it will support companies developing and using agentic AI solutions and work with public and private-sector partners to accelerate adoption across vital economic sectors.
And in June, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said the emirate's goal is to become the “world’s leading hub for developing and deploying advanced AI solutions”.
“Agentic AI is different. It plans, decides, co-ordinates and executes multi-step workflows with limited human input … the [UAE] government is setting the pace, not just the ambition,” according to the Mena FinTech Association.
India, meanwhile, has its own national agentic AI plans, with New Delhi's IndiaAI portal at the forefront of encouraging the use of that and other related technologies.
On Wednesday, Indian media reported that nearly all Indian companies – 99 per cent – are planning to integrate agentic AI into their operations, although only 14 per cent have already done so, quoting a study from New York-based Ness Digital Engineering.
“We are expanding international co-operation and partnerships to build an integrated ecosystem that supports the adoption of agentic AI by businesses, enhances efficiency and productivity, and creates new opportunities for economic growth,” Mr Lootah said.
“These efforts will further strengthen Dubai’s leadership in advanced technologies and accelerate their adoption across business models in all sectors.”
