Sharjah is seeking to attract $3 billion from Indian companies over 2026 and 2027, with Khorfakkan Port emerging as a key gateway for trade amid regional shipping disruptions
PRAVASISAMWAD.COM
Sharjah is targeting around $3 billion in investment from Indian companies over the next two years as the emirate seeks to strengthen its position as a regional manufacturing and logistics hub.
Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), said the emirate expects about $1.5 billion in Indian investment in 2026 and a further $1.5 billion in 2027. The target represents an increase of around 15 per cent from the previous year.
The investment push comes as Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal gains greater importance because of disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and constraints affecting access to Jebel Ali.
Located on the Gulf of Oman, Khorfakkan is the UAE’s only fully commercial terminal outside the Strait of Hormuz. Its location provides direct access to major east-west maritime routes, making it attractive to companies seeking alternative logistics options and regional access.
Sharjah expects Indian manufacturers, logistics operators and other businesses to use the emirate as a base for reaching markets including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq
Interest is already rising in manufacturing, logistics and transportation, according to Invest in Sharjah. The authority said companies are seeking industrial land close to Khorfakkan, while some businesses based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are expanding their UAE operations towards the port.
Khorfakkan is also undergoing a major expansion led by Gulftainer. Annual container-handling capacity is being increased from 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 5 million, with a longer-term objective of exceeding 10 million TEUs.
The expansion is intended to strengthen supply-chain resilience and support Sharjah’s ambitions to develop Khorfakkan into a larger regional trade and logistics gateway.
