The six countries went ahead and signed a memorandum of understanding along with a joint declaration, thereby committing to hold the meeting once every two years. When it comes to the critical minerals space, the parties will link lithium and rare earth resources from Central Asia with processing and materials technology from South Korea so as to establish a supply chain from mining to finished product manufacturing.

South Korea may as well go ahead and broaden its critical minerals procurement and grow overseas contracting for its companies, whereas, on the other hand, the five Central Asian nations can benefit from increased resource value-added and manufacturing modernization.

It is well to be noted that South Korea, along with five Central Asian countries, has formally established a multilateral cooperation framework so as to secure rare earth supply chains of critical minerals such as lithium and rare earths, along with industrial infrastructure as well as AI transformation when it comes to manufacturing.

Interestingly, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy of South Korea held the first Korea-Central Asia (C5+1) Industry Ministers’ Meeting at the Westin Josun Hotel located in Seoul on September 14, 2026.  The six countries agreed on an MOU for industrial and supply chain cooperation and agreed on a joint declaration with Minister Kim Jung-kwan and the industry ministers from all five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

It is worth noting that South Korea, along with each of the Central Asian countries, had previously set up bilateral ministerial-level consultation platforms, but this meeting is the first time they formed a multilateral consultative body that includes all five countries. The participating countries agreed to implement tangible cooperation projects in three core areas for joint response to developments in the global trade environment.

The most closely monitored area is building out a critical minerals supply chain. The vision is to integrate lithium and rare earth resources of Central Asia with South Korea’s processing and materials technology, which would lead to building an industrial ecosystem that goes beyond the basic mining to include local refining and smelting as well as high-value-added materials manufacturing.

The main goal is to foster supply chain cooperation through all its aspects, right from mining to smelting and materials processing as well as the manufacture of final products.

In the sphere of trade promotion as well as industrial infrastructure development, the parties decided to widen the involvement of South Korean companies when it comes to the development of elaborate industrial parks, establishment of smart infrastructure, and modernization of plants in the countries of Central Asia. In the spectrum of technical cooperation and talent cultivation, South Korea will utilize its smart factory and manufacturing AI capacity to help smartly modify local factories in Central Asia and boost the flow of young technical talent.

Apparently, both sides have agreed in principle to conduct the meeting on a regular basis every two years so that the advisory body will become a sustainable cooperation platform rather than just an occasional occurrence.

In his opening remarks, Minister Kim went on to say that “let us revive the pioneering spirit of the caravans that once connected Eurasia, combine Central Asia’s potential with South Korea’s manufacturing capabilities, and together open a path toward a new advanced industrial ecosystem.” In his closing statement he added, “As the Central Asian proverb goes, traveling alone makes for a long journey, but with good companions even a long road feels short. I hope this becomes a mutually beneficial cooperation platform where we build tangible projects that businesses and citizens of each country can feel.”

The fact is that this meeting is seen as a deliberate attempt by South Korea to cut itself off certain nations when it comes to critical minerals and broaden its supply sources as global supply chain reorganization accelerates. Notably, Central Asia is abundant with mineral resources that are critical for advanced sectors, including lithium, rare earths as well as uranium. However, it has long been in the orbit of influence of Russia and China, which limits the likelihood of Western and South Korean involvement.

The partnership also looks to expand raw material procurement for key industries from South Korea, such as the likes of semiconductors and batteries as well as electric vehicles, along with tapping Central Asia’s industrialization demand in order to create overseas contracting possibilities when it comes to South Korean companies in the case of plant construction, smart factories, and manufacturing AI.

The partnership allows the five Central Asian states a chance to find a technology partner in order to increase the value added of resources and encourage modernization when it comes to manufacturing.

Crucially, this cooperation is intended to establish an industrial ecosystem that includes local refining and smelting, as well as materials production, and not just sign resource import contracts.

Thus, the scope of entry for South Korean companies into Central Asia is anticipated to broaden from current mineral mining involvement to smart factory construction, plant construction, and human resource training.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy will select particular initiatives in each of the three areas and track the status of execution by way of the biennial regular meetings. But observers do point to inadequate infrastructure, a complicated regulatory framework, and of course the impact which Russia and China have in Central Asia when it comes to the possible factors as far as the actual execution process of the project is concerned.

Interestingly, the Alliance was created with the Transition Accelerator, the Battery Metals Association of Canada, and the Indian Resource Council and is governed by the Energy Futures Lab.

According to the director of the Future Materials Alliance, Richard Hiller, “We’re identifying regional workforce, education, infrastructure, and industrial opportunities while connecting companies and communities around a broader regional plan. That groundwork helps de-risk investment at the community level and strengthens Western and Northern Canada’s role in Canada’s critical materials future.”

It is worth noting that Canada has abundant critical mineral resources; however, the competitiveness in the future has become more dependent on the capacity to process, refine, manufacture, and turn those resources into the high-value materials required for clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and defence as well as digital technologies.

The Alliance also aims to speed up the sustainable integration of Western and Northern Canada into national and allied critical materials supply chain of Canada. It is a collaborative platform to translate regional possibilities from strategy to implementation.

The Alliance is additionally committed to building opportunities beyond extraction for Canada. It also focuses on refining, midstream processing, materials manufacturing, and circularity. In order to do this, the Alliance is bringing together organizations across various sectors and jurisdictions in order to mitigate risk associated with projects, speed up decision-making, and improve investment readiness.

Late 2025 saw two engagements by the Alliance when it came to Central Alberta. This October 2026, it expands into Northern Alberta with activities all over Western and Northern Canada to follow in 2027.

Interestingly, the coalition is urging governments, industry, Indigenous Nations, investors, researchers, and communities to collaborate on building the circumstances that draw investment and optimize sustainable economic, environmental, and social value.

As per the reports from Gulf Today and various other regional media, bilateral trade in the fiscal year 2025-26 went on to reach $101.25 billion. This is the second year in a row in which total trade has been over $100 billion, which truly demonstrates how fast this partnership has developed.

The two countries are targeting $200 billion in yearly trade by 2032. Reaching the target will require not only higher transaction volumes but also far smoother and more effective transportation as well as customs processes.

From Increased Trade to Complete Supply-Chain Integration

It is worth noting that the region’s coverage spotlights projects such as the Virtual Trade Corridor and Bharat Mart, as well as cooperation on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEC, as essential elements of the larger strategy.

Apparently, all these projects intend to elevating logistics and integrating supply chains, ramp up market access, and develop new paths when it comes to trade and investment flows, such as diversifying alternatives as well as enhancing resilience.

The Effect of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

A significant chunk of this growth was fuelled by the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which came into force in 2022. It was, in fact, the first of its kind for the UAE.

The talk has been that the deal opens up access for goods, services, and financial resources and also gives greater space for private sector companies across both nations. The real win for manufacturers, exporters, goods operators, and logistics providers is to reduce barriers and build a more robust policy base for procurement and distribution networks.

Cooperation between the UAE and India within BRICS

The partnership also has significant implications within the BRICS grouping. The UAE, which joined as a full member in January 2024, is also an affiliate of the New Development Bank, which gives it a more prominent role in the bloc’s economic and financial cooperation initiatives.

The 18th BRICS Summit got underway on September 12, 2026, in New Delhi under India’s presidency. The 20th anniversary of BRICS was marked with the theme – Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.

In this regard, the UAE-India relationship is being touted as a precedent of how trade, logistics, and investment, as well as innovation, can be tied together within a larger, more cohesive regional system.

What the Next Phase Might Mean for Business

The next level of UAE-India cooperation will likely be judged not just by headline-grabbing trade numbers but by how well businesses can take advantage of the systems being put in place. A larger trading relationship means a company must manage purchasing, manufacturing, storage, shipping, customs documentation, and final delivery throughout multiple markets.

This can give companies engaged in sourcing a better footing to evaluate suppliers and manage procurement in India and the UAE. Firms might also scrutinize the location of their warehouses, access to goods and services, and the dependability of cross-border procedures. This is important particularly for distributors, manufacturers, and retailers, as well as companies that deal with electronics or other items that require a well-managed inventory.

Logistics is yet another core element of the relationship. Good logistics can give businesses more confidence in planning shipments, whereas digital trade tools could make it easier when it comes to commercial partners so as to share documents and information.

The fact is that better coordination will not solve all problems, but it can help make transporting goods more manageable and perhaps minimize unnecessary delays.

Infrastructure is not only about ports, roads, or storage facilities. It additionally encompasses data systems, digital infrastructure, and payment links as well as communication between public agencies along with private-sector operators. When these elements are working together, companies have better insight into orders, deliveries, customs requirements, and delivery schedules.

Opportunities for Smaller Firms

Stronger economic ties could help not just big corporations. Better access to markets can also benefit smaller companies if they are familiar with the appropriate laws and efficiently use readily accessible trade channels.

Practical issues for smaller exporters might be how to find buyers, how to put together documentation, how to handle payment terms, and how to choose the right logistics provider. Service companies could also find possibilities in fields including freight coordination, storage, technology, regulatory compliance, and business support.

Development in digital commerce could bring businesses and consumers even closer together. Mobile platforms and online marketplaces, along with electronic payment methods, can help companies offer products and interact with customers more easily. But companies still have to think about product norms, delivery requirements, returns, taxation, and customer service prior to entering a new market.

These problems are relevant for a wide range of industries, right from industrial supplies to consumer goods to lifestyle products. They also apply to electronics companies, in which procurement, inventory management, certification of products, and after-sales service can all influence the effectiveness of a cross-border operation.

The importance of robustness and diversification

Businesses globally are increasingly concerned about supply-chain robustness. Most companies want reliable availability of supplies, parts, and products, as well as transportation services. UAE-India cooperation can help to diversify further by providing greater possibilities for sourcing, distribution, and accessibility to regional markets for the business community.

Diversifying does not always imply altering suppliers or routes. Instead, it may require more connections and emergency plans. Companies might look at different suppliers, ways to transport goods, places to store them, or centers to distribute them from. The aim is to be better prepared for when market dynamics shift.

For policymakers and infrastructure planners, resilience may also mean improved coordination between various modes of transportation. Links in road transport, maritime shipping, and air freight, as well as warehousing, can affect the efficiency of moving goods from point of source to point of destination. The same is true in the case of information flows, where postponements in documentation or standard communication may impact physical delivery times.

The fact is that today, the UAE-India economic relationship is much more than a mere transfer of goods. It encompasses infrastructure, investment, digital connectivity, logistics, trade policies, and regional cooperation. The target of $200 billion in annual trade by 2032 puts greater focus on the systems that facilitate commercial activity.

Whether that goal is realized will rely on ongoing cooperation and on the extent to which companies take advantage of the available networks. Better customs procedures, dependable logistics, useful digital solutions, and clear access to markets are all capable of contributing towards a more interconnected trade environment.

The primary takeaway for businesses is simple – future growth needs to be built on thorough planning all through the supply chain. Procurement decisions, transportation, technology, compliance with regulations, and customer expectations will all become more and more interconnected. The UAE and India are creating an alliance in which these components can help each other, with the possibility for new opportunities when it comes to commerce, investments, electronics, mobile trade, and wider economic activities.

It is well to be noted that the three-year economic roadmap is focused on developing alternate and dependable trade routes along Turkey’s east-west and north-south axes in the face of recent regional conflicts as well as supply chain issues.

Apparently, with this Ankara is looking to improve the capacity and competitive advantage of international transport networks, namely the Middle Corridor and the Development Road project.

Plans are underway to reinforce the links on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu railroad lines as well as the Zangezur Corridor. These upgrades are going to diversify and broaden rail transport capacity extending from the Caspian Basin via Türkiye to the European markets.

As part of the trade and logistics infrastructure boost, planned upgrades to the Hejaz Railway in the south will provide seamless global transport connections linking Turkey to the remainder of the Middle East.

Simultaneously, the Istanbul Northern Railway Crossing will be an important junction, providing a direct link when it comes to freight from the Middle Corridor, the Development Road, and the Persian Gulf to Europe.

Turkey will strengthen its central role in global trade with the building of a smooth and highly capable railway connection between ports, rail lines, and roads.

The OVP describes other initiatives to strengthen ties between these corridors and logistics centers, organized industrial zones, production facilities, airports, and border crossings in an attempt to increase the proportion of rail transport in total freight transport and thus boost the intermodal transport capacity of Turkey.

These efforts will also enhance Turkey’s competitiveness in international commerce and its potential to be a global logistics hub.

Ankara seeks to enhance its international logistics distribution networks project in order to pull more domestic firms into global supply chains and create the required infrastructure to speed up and reduce the cost of end-to-end global shipments.

It is worth noting that the three-year economic roadmap also places a premium on reducing Turkey’s foreign reliance on critical inputs as well as technologies and outlines plans to build proactive intervention capacities and alternative supply chains against possible hazards caused by geopolitical instability or trade precautions.

The initiative was launched on May 13, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, where Piyush Goyal, the Indian Union Commerce and Industry Minister, chaired a curtain-raiser event that brought together a group of senior officials, ambassadors, high commissioners, and industry leaders, as well as stakeholders from each side.

The dialogue aims at boosting cooperation in trade, investment, technology and people-to-people exchanges as well as promoting South-South cooperation, the government said.

Speaking at the gathering, Goyal pointed out the civilizational affinities between both India and Africa and said the two can shape a more equitable and innovation-driven future, especially for the Global South, together.

He said that bilateral commerce between India and Africa was USD 93.69 billion in 2025-26, and it grew by 14.39% over the previous year. India’s exports were USD 45.42 billion, and imports stood at USD 48.27 billion.

Goyal highlighted the necessity to move from trading in raw materials to value-added production, unified supply chains, and technology-driven collaboration. He said the key areas of future engagement will be sectors like green hydrogen, electric mobility, renewable energy, digitalization, telecommunications, agriculture, healthcare, and defence production, along with critical minerals.

He also pointed out the significance of youth-led progress, competence, and innovation, saying that almost two-thirds of the total population in both India and Africa are younger than 35 years.

The minister said that the African Continental Free Trade Area – AfCFTA which is worth nearly USD 3.4 trillion – along with India’s USD 4 trillion economy presents tremendous possibilities for greater integration, strong unified supply chains and broadened manufacturing ties.

Rajesh Agrawal, the Commerce Secretary from India, said the forthcoming dialogue is expected to be attended by policymakers, investors, industry leaders and, of course, the entrepreneurs from both the regions.

He said the event will include sectoral roundtables, policy discussions, B2B and B2G meetings and exhibitions highlighting breakthroughs in fields like climate action, digital technologies, manufacturing, healthcare, finance and logistics.

Agrawal added the recent meetings of the India-Kenya and India-Tanzania joint trade committees indicated the increasing trend in India-Africa economic ties.

The move is in line with long-term development objectives like Viksit Bharat 2047 and Africa Agenda 2063, the government said, noting the need for better trade routes and broadened supply chains.

The government has called for a wide range of participation from African and Indian stakeholders so that the summit and associated business events are a success.

This is a fairly important difference, especially as it pertains to procurement for automotive. A display supplier has to be able to assist a model program via all phases, be it validation, production, software integration, long-term service, quality checks, and all of that over the lifespan. So automakers are not just requesting which company can deliver the cheapest price or the largest batch of panels. They want to know which supplier can deliver consistent output and strong tech support throughout the life of a vehicle program.

This is not just a consequence of Chinese growth, interestingly. It’s also a sign of cuts somewhere else. Omdia says companies are closing, selling or repurposing older lines, as returns from mature LCD production outside of Mainland China are low. Outside China, the number of commercialised a-Si and oxide automotive LCD lines is projected to fall from seven in 2026 to three in 2028. That squeeze is a key reason why China’s percentage of automotive display shipments jumped from 28.1% in 2019 to 56.6% in 2025, before another jump this year. This is not just new Chinese investment but also reflects the shrinking pool of alternative production lines for automakers and electronics suppliers in other parts of the world.

BOE and China Star Optoelectronics Technology now control about 80% of the world’s LCD capacity, Electronic Times reported. The two companies are running their fabs at about 82% utilization, which truly allows Chinese suppliers to scale as well as cash flow. With high utilization, they can afford new capacity, compete on pricing and assist with the volume specifications associated with automotive electronics.

This now poses some problems for car manufacturers not only in terms of efficiency but also in how consolidated the supply chain is. Fewer suppliers mean easier sourcing and the possibility of larger-scale production but also mean dependence on fewer companies and locations for planning, particularly when those displays are integrated into centre dashboards, instrument clusters, rear-seat entertainment and various other key pieces of the digital cabin experience.

That cash flow is a big part of the next stage of competition. While OLED technology continues to cost a lot of money for many Chinese companies, they utilize the profits from their leading LCD businesses to fund their OLED expansion, said David Hsieh at the Omdia Korea Display Conference in Seoul on September 3, 2026.

In fact, BOE, CSOT, and Visionox as well as Tianma are continuing to post substantial OLED losses, but their investments persist, notes Electronic Times.  Omdia has uncovered new Chinese G8.x projects, including BOE’s B16 and CSOT’s T8, as well as Visionox’s V5, suggesting that these companies are still involved in capacity-building efforts even with the challenging economics of OLEDs.

ChosunBiz reports that 8.6-generation OLED capacity from China for laptops and tablets is expected to be nearly twice that of South Korea by 2028. They also refer to Counterpoint Research, which expects China’s total OLED capacity to exceed that of Korea by around 2029. These numbers are more about electronics markets in general and not just automotive displays, but they are relevant because the overall OLED manufacturing capacity is impacted by capacity developed for smartphones and laptops and tablets.

Suppliers may have greater flexibility in pricing and product distribution with the opening of new facilities and the depreciation of older lines.

Meanwhile, South Korean suppliers are looking to maintain their position in the highest-margin, premium automotive OLEDs instead of pursuing volume in China. Samsung Display said it began shipping 24.6-inch and 13.2-inch OLED panels in August 2026 for GV90 of Genesis, which is an electrified SUV set to debut in late 2026. The flagship feature is a variable cinematic display on the main dashboard. When driving, it displays a 23.6-inch-wide view with vehicle data, navigation, and media. But when parked and the extension button activated, the screen lifts 90mm and grows to 24.6 inches, giving it about 1.7 times the visible space.

This design is indicative of the trend of automotive displays being more incorporated into vehicle architecture, as opposed to just separate electronic bits. The screen can change how it looks while the car is moving or parked, combining display technology with interior design and user experience as well as lifestyle features. It also speaks to the growing significance of mobile-style interaction and media use within the vehicle, all while preserving the core functionality such as navigation as well as driving info.

The project is a statement from Samsung – premium automotive OLED is more than simply about good picture quality; it’s also about what designers can achieve with the cabin layout. Take the GV90, for example – its centre panel has an enormous 24:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 3840×1440, while covering 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. The tandem OLED structure is being deployed to enhance brightness, longevity and readability in daylight, all key in an automotive context where screens must adapt with fluctuating conditions of light and function reliably over many years. As a matter of fact, the headrest displays on the rear seat are 13.2 inches with 1920×1080.

Says Lee Ju-hyung, head of Samsung Display’s small and medium display division, to ChosunBiz, “The Samsung OLED applied to the GV90 is a symbolic example where premium display and luxury mobility meet to deliver a new experience.”

Omdia also highlights Korea as the only reputable foreign automotive OLED production base outside China, with A2 and A3 lines of Samsung and LG’s E5 and AP3 lines forming its core. This gives Korean suppliers a slightly different role when it comes to automotive OLED than their declining share of the total display market.

Meanwhile, LG Display is leaning more towards software and systems in the cockpit. They announced just recently, on June 2, 2026, that they have been awarded Automotive SPICE Capability Level 2 certification by C&BIS for the integration of proprietary diagnostic and control functions into displays for instrument clusters as well as central dashboards.

Having this kind of certification is important because automakers are looking for display suppliers that are capable of supporting all aspects of the dependability and validation process, a kind of framework for software-defined vehicles, and not just the panels. It is worth noting that the modern cockpit is a combination of hardware, software, connectivity, and diagnostics, as well as a user interface, so the significance of a display is now determined by how effectively it can fit into this larger picture. The certification shows that LG can assure software quality and system dependability, which indicates that Korea’s response time is not only about hardware specifications but also deep engineering skills, the company said.

But that approach is coming under greater strain. ChosunBiz reports that Korea’s share of the global OLED market dropped from 87.3% in 2020 to 68.7% in 2025, while China’s increased from 12.1 to 31.2% during the same period. They also point to a US International Trade Commission decision that BOE had misused the trade secrets of Samsung Display, triggering a ban on BOE OLED imports for around 14 years and 8 months. Legal issues impact individual firms but do not change the general trend of the industry. Chinese manufacturers are growing their capacity and entering into market segments that Korea used to think of as high-margin and slightly beyond reach.

In automotive terms, the shift means the real advantage will be a combination of manufacturing size, technology, and software capability along with supply chain dependability. Suppliers need to demonstrate that they are able to manufacture sophisticated panels, meet demand over the long term and uphold quality all through the life of a vehicle. Less about one-time feature enhancements, and more about can they keep supporting it for many years?

In essence, the vehicle display sourcing game is evolving from a feature race to a long-term strategic procurement task. Omdia says sixth-generation OLED lines, which began ramping up around 2020, could be entirely depreciated by 2028. That would mean lower manufacturing costs and could make OLED more price competitive for Chinese suppliers, particularly since the newer G8.x lines absorb smartphone as well as IT demand.

That change has major implications for carmakers along with their supply chains. As China takes a larger share of the LCD volume and Korea tries to maintain a premium position in OLED and software, future purchasing decisions will be less concerned about the lowest panel price and more regarding validated, long-term capacity underpinned by demonstrated quality and dependability for the life of the vehicle.

In reality, automakers and Tier 1s will likely take a more holistic view of display partners, including capacity utilization, line maturity, OLED investments, certifications, and software capability, as well as long-term support, and not just price. A display is no longer a stand-alone add-on, but it’s becoming an integral part of the electronics of the vehicle, user experience and general digital lifestyle.

The big question for 2027 and beyond, then, isn’t merely who dominates the next shipment ranking, but if each supplier can turn manufacturing scale or premium tech into reliable, long-term support when it comes to vehicle programs. This is why the display decisions are shaping up to be one of the biggest electronic decisions in the constantly changing automotive supply chain.

The proposal, which is a single Public Procurement Act to replace the three directives regulating public purchasing since 2014, is expected to be put forward on September 9 by the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné.

The text looks forward to cutting what it considers to be excessive attention to pricing in tenders and to curtail detrimental strategic dependencies on suppliers from third countries, according to a draft seen by Euractiv.

It is well to be noted that the draft could still be altered before it is published.

Public buyers would have the possibility to take into account critical infrastructure and strategic supply chains, as well as key technologies, when awarding contracts, along with risks such as espionage, cyber or hybrid attacks and infringement by actors from outside the bloc.

Interestingly, apart from this, the Bidders would also have to justify prices falling substantially below competing offerings, a provision Euractiv characterised as a covert reference to China. The draft never names the country.

Interestingly, an earlier version obtained from Reuters in July 2026 provided more details of the architecture. Contracts would be given out on the basis of the best price-quality ratio, with quality criteria making up at least 30% of the total score and at least 50% for labour-intensive agreements.

But that version did not require a sweeping – buy European. However, it would enable authorities to dismiss bids for large public contracts with less than 50% European content and favour EU firms when it comes to the strategic sectors.

The fact is that the same draft went on to allow buyers to go ahead and check if a bidder’s ownership, oversight or financing arrangement posed a risk of foreign intrusion and if the company was bound by third-country laws that might require it to hand over private information.

Apparently, the new rules would be a regulation, not a directive, meaning that they would be directly enforceable in all member states without needing national enactment, thus decreasing the discretion governments have at present in the way they run the tenders.

Notably, the market in question is one of the bloc’s biggest tools of economic leverage. Public purchasing in the EU is estimated by the Commission to be worth almost €2 trillion a year.

Apparently, the reform has been prepared for a period of over one year. It was on 14 October 2025 that the Commission had gone ahead and published an assessment of the prevailing directives and on 3 November 2025 launched a consultation which closed on 26 January 2026. The adoption initially was planned for the second quarter of 2026 but then was delayed until September 2026.

Meanwhile, the trade figures have tempered the political mood. Eurostat data show that in 2025 the EU exported €199.6 billion worth of goods to China and imported €559.4 billion, resulting in a deficit of €359.8 billion. Exports fell 6.5% from a year ago, while imports rose 6.4%.

The fact is that the gap has only gotten bigger. Eurostat says the goods trade deficit of the EU with China stood at €98 billion in the first quarter of 2026, which, by the way, is the highest quarterly figure since the third quarter of 2022.

It is worth noting that Séjourné who is on a key position of Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy has been one of the more vocal members of the Commission when it comes to this subject. Speaking after a summit of trade ministers in Brussels on May 22, 2026, he had gone ahead and warned that few European companies had moved to further diversify their supply chains and that companies should not at all rely on just one country when it comes to all critical inputs.

It is well to be noted that procurement has already been used as a weapon against Beijing. In June 2025, the Commission vetoed bids by Chinese companies for medical devices worth more than €5m in EU government tenders. This apparently happened to be the first move under the International Procurement Instrument, highlighting the long-standing omission of European suppliers from Chinese public contracts. Notably, the EU medical devices market is worth about €150 billion.

The Foreign Subsidies Regulation, which came into force in 2023, already requires companies to go on to report money received from non-EU governments when submitting bids for contracts worth more than €250 million.

Beijing has always portrayed such actions as protectionism. Chinese state-run media Global Times reported that the revamp of procurement law is expected to increase costs for European public bodies but only provide short-term protection from competition for domestic firms.

The point is that the proposal is not law and is unlikely to become law for the immediate time to come. The text has a transition period, so it would not be applicable immediately upon entry into force. It must be approved by the European Parliament as well as the Council of the European Union according to the ordinary legislative procedure.

The file is most likely to expose familiar divisions. Italy, the Netherlands and Lithuania have called for new instruments to cut dependency on China, involving tariffs and import quotas along with supply chain regulations, while other capitals cautioned that shutting out low-cost suppliers will result in taxpayers paying more for medical facilities and railways as well as digital systems.

The Mumbai dialogue went on to follow with the 16th India-EU Summit that was held in New Delhi in January 2026, where India and the EU agreed on the conclusion of their negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

Speaking during an official visit to Mumbai as a part of the India–Belgium high-level delegation on the India–EU Free Trade Agreement, Mr. Bart De Wever, the Prime Minister of Belgium, spoke regarding strong logistics infrastructure and diverse supply chains that will be crucial to translate the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement into real-time cargo and trade growth.

High-quality logistics connections are necessary to turn the possibilities created by the India–EU FTA into a reality, said Mr. De Wever, who also described Port of Antwerp-Bruges as a critical logistics link between India and Europe.

The Union Minister of India, Mr. Piyush Goyal, said Belgium was at the gateway of the opportunity created by the India-EU FTA and that the Port of Antwerp-Bruges was the entryway by which the promise of the FTA would actually arrive in Europe or be dispatched to India.

He highlighted the multi-modal network of Antwerp-Bruges, with its maritime facilities and road, rail, and inland-waterway connections, as a key distribution path for Indian cargo heading further into European markets.

FTA is not a tariff story, Goyal said, reflecting on the effective linkage between trade liberalization and the physical infrastructure needed to transport additional cargo, also pointing to compromised supply chains within the framework of the strategic rationale. He pointed to opportunities in potato processing and cold chains, and broader food processing with technology and sustainable agri-value chains can serve the whole world by means of Belgium and India, he said.

Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, also asked for Belgium’s assistance to develop Maharashtra as a global center for logistics, trade, and investment. Fadnavis utilized the India–Belgium dialogue to project the state as a major logistics and industrial ally in the developing India–EU trade landscape.

He pointed to the mutually beneficial assets of the two sides – the established capabilities of Belgium in ports and logistics on one side and the growing industrial and infrastructure base of Maharashtra on the other. Fadnavis sought greater Belgian involvement in a variety of industries, with port-led development and logistics being a key component of the suggested cooperation. He also called for greater engagement between the maritime ecosystem of Maharashtra and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, especially in fields like logistics technology, port digitalization, green shipping, hydrogen, and skills.

The Chief Minister proposed a wider Mumbai-Antwerp Economic Partnership, which goes beyond the traditional diamond link between Mumbai and Antwerp, which could bring together government agencies, port authorities, and businesses to broaden cooperation when it comes to logistics, innovation, finance, and technology as well as sustainability.

It is well to be noted that the logistics opportunity is indeed, as a matter of fact, viewed as important for both countries, and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges itself confirms that it processed 6.3 million tonnes of India-linked cargo in 2025 and that India was its third-largest trade partner when it came to breakbulk and seventh largest as far as containers were concerned.

In this context, the India–EU FTA is anticipated to bring possibilities for reactivated cargo growth, with reduced trade barriers and streamlined customs procedures, which may facilitate higher flows of goods between both India and Europe. Mr. De Wever said the FTA would wipe out or cut tariffs on over 95% of Indian and European goods exports, which could create new cargo opportunities when it comes to textiles, machinery, and automotive components, among other sectors. The port is establishing itself as a major gateway for increasing cargo flows between India and Europe as far as the Indian exporters are concerned, according to Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

Mr. De Wever put logistics at the heart of the post-FTA relationship, positioning Belgium and especially the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as a strategic gateway for Indian cargo into the European market.

He said that Belgium is opting for trustworthy trading partners and trade relations that expand its supply chains as protectionist policies and economic dependencies are increasing worldwide. He also added that for Antwerp being an inland gateway, rather than a European seaport, two-thirds of the European purchasing power is in the trucking range of Antwerp.

The port of Antwerp is the first port in the world to ensure an unbroken cold chain, he said, speaking about cold chain and pharmaceutical logistics.

He noted that almost all Indian shrimp going to Northwest Europe comes via the port of Antwerp.  The FTA is expected to expand partnerships beyond just cargo handling. The dialogue also pointed to maritime services, port infrastructure, dredging services, and green hydrogen as potential fields for cooperation, opening up possibilities for future energy-related cargo flows between both India and Belgium.

So the India–EU FTA means much more than tariff liberalization for the logistics industry. Higher trade volumes will call for adequate port capacity, multi-modal connectivity, customs productivity, cold-chain infrastructure, and maritime services as well as sturdy India-Europe supply chains. As India-EU trade is already close to $140 billion and India and Belgium look to double bilateral trade in the next five years, efficient cargo movement could further become more crucial in converting the market-access gains of the FTA to real trade flows.  The engagement will also probably transition from discussion about policy to commercial agreements. During the dialogue in Mumbai, the Belgian prime minister announced that a delegation from the Antwerp-Bruges port community, comprising terminal operators as well as companies from the logistics, chemicals, and energy sectors, will travel to India in February 2027.

It is worth noting that frozen goods imported into Oman usually arrive in standard containers. Full frozen bulk vessel management calls for specialist cold chain skills at every stage, be it vessel offloading to temperature-controlled storage and subsequent distribution, ensuring unaltered temperature integrity right from the port to the warehouse.

The successful delivery of the first operation earned GWC Group a second larger commission – which apparently is the largest frozen bulk vessel operation the Group has ever handled to date. GWC Group went on to secure a long-term cold storage contract with the customer, evolving the partnership from vessel handling to continuous storage as well as regional distribution.

As part of boosting its cold chain supply capacity, the Group also commenced shipping frozen poultry products by road from Barka, Oman, to Qatar as well as Kuwait, thus taking overall volumes to over 1,000 truckloads of frozen cargo, being handled, preserved, and shipped throughout various GCC markets such as Qatar.

Matthew Kearns, GWC Group CEO, said that “This operation demonstrates what our regional network is designed to do. By connecting our capabilities in Oman with our established infrastructure in Qatar, we are creating additional routes for temperature-sensitive goods into the country while strengthening resilience across the wider supply chain. As we grow across the GCC, our operations are increasingly working as one network, connecting markets and strengthening the infrastructure behind regional cold chain flows.”

The fact is that the expansion of the Oman operation is indicative of the continuous development of the regional platform of the GWC Group and its function in linking logistics infrastructure and capabilities throughout the GCC markets.

Notably, over the last couple of years, GWC Group tripled its net revenue contributions from international operations by expanding its footprint in nations such as Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain.

The handling of frozen bulk cargo requires stringent and continuous temperature regulation right from receiving it at the port to storage and transportation across the borders, said the General Manager of GWC Oman operations, Haitham Al Rawahi. He further said that “our teams in Oman delivered this complex operation without compromise, supported by GWC Group’s specialized assets and technical expertise.”

GWC Group’s international cold chain capabilities are further reinforced by a comprehensive logistics network throughout the GCC as well as a global freight network operating in over 120 nations via over 550 partners spanning the world.

The Group manages over 4 million square meters of logistics infrastructure backed by more than 1,600 specialized vehicles and 20 strategic locations throughout the GCC, thereby moving over 2 million tonnes of freight every year.

Mr. Goyal said this during a meeting with Akazawa Ryosei, the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, on August 25.

It is worth noting that the partnership with Japan could be summed up around four pillars of expanding trade, enhancing collaboration in technology, fostering investment, and encouraging tourism, Mr. Goyal said.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Goyal met a delegation of Japanese companies producing semiconductors and AI in Tokyo. Speaking on the event, the minister said the Indian government is coming out with a structure that will exempt companies, including those from Japan, in the high-tech sector from obligatory Bureau of Indian Standards – BIS certification for equipment and components required for setting up manufacturing facilities in India. He said the structure might grant exemptions at the company, industry, product, or project level based on the needs.

Mr. Goyal added as part of promoting India as a promising location for data centers that they intend to make available equipment, goods, and services in a timely manner when it comes to high-tech companies that are establishing manufacturing operations in India and support the government when it comes to its Make in India initiative. He said that India is a massive and expanding electronics market, and its semiconductor demand is anticipated to see a rise to $150 billion by 2032.

Interestingly, Mr. Goyal also had talks with executives of leading Japanese financial institutions so as to strengthen long-term investment and deepen India-Japan economic ties. He said that the Indian economy is strong and resilient and the country had seen 7.7% growth in 2025 regardless of global instability and is making progress toward achieving the status of a $30 trillion economy by 2047.