· Globally, the 2026 Forbes list includes 3,428 billionaires, the highest number recorded since the ranking began in 1987
· Their combined wealth is estimated at $20.1 trillion, up significantly from $16.1 trillion the previous year, highlighting continued expansion in global private fortunes
PRAVASISAMWAD.COM
Nine Indian expatriate entrepreneurs based in the United Arab Emirates have secured positions on the Forbes World’s Billionaires List 2026, underlining the growing influence of the Indian business community across the Gulf region. Collectively, these UAE-based Indian tycoons hold an estimated wealth of nearly $49.9 billion, reflecting decades of entrepreneurial activity across sectors such as retail, real estate, healthcare, manufacturing and education.
Among them, Vinod Adani ranks as the wealthiest UAE-linked Indian billionaire on the list. Placed 121st globally, Adani’s estimated fortune stands at $20.8 billion. His wealth is connected to overseas investment structures associated with India’s Adani Group, a major conglomerate with global interests in infrastructure, logistics, ports and energy.
· The UAE’s retail sector is strongly represented by M.A. Yusuff Ali, chairman of the LuLu Group, who ranks 720th worldwide with a net worth estimated at $5.8 billion
· The group operates one of the Middle East’s largest retail networks and has expanded into Asia and Europe
· Close behind is Renuka Jagtiani, chairperson of the Landmark Group, who ranks 749th globally with an estimated fortune of $5.6 billion
· Landmark has grown into a major retail and hospitality conglomerate operating across multiple international markets
The Gulf’s booming construction and property sectors have also produced several billionaires. Ravi Pillai, founder of the RP Group, ranks 1,011th globally with wealth estimated at $4.2 billion, while P.N.C. Menon, founder of Sobha Group, is ranked 1,108th with a net worth of $3.9 billion. Both entrepreneurs built large-scale real estate and contracting businesses that have played a role in shaping the urban landscape of the Gulf.
Hospitality entrepreneur Kabir Mulchandani, founder of Dubai-based FIVE Holdings, appears at 1,913th globally with an estimated net worth of $2.2 billion, reflecting the growth of luxury lifestyle hospitality brands in the UAE.
The list also includes figures from education and healthcare. Sunny Varkey, founder of GEMS Education, ranks 1,074th globally with an estimated fortune of $4 billion, while Shamsheer Vayalil, founder of Burjeel Holdings, is placed 2,274th with wealth estimated at $1.8 billion. Industrialist Dhruv Sawhney, chairman of Triveni Engineering & Industries, ranks 2,481st with about $1.6 billion.
