Business travel between Dubai and India is becoming more geographically diverse, with Pune and Kolkata emerging among the five busiest Indian destinations for Dubai-based executives in the first half of 2026, according to new Member data from Vista.
Mumbai remained Dubai’s busiest destination, followed by New Delhi, but Pune and Kolkata moved into fourth and fifth place respectively in H1 2026 after neither appeared in Dubai’s top 10 destinations in 2025.
The shift points to growing executive travel between the UAE and India’s specialist business hubs, particularly those linked to manufacturing, technology, engineering, logistics and infrastructure.
Dubai-India business travel expands beyond Mumbai and Delhi
Mumbai continued to rank first across both 2025 and the first half of 2026, while New Delhi retained second place.
The more notable change was further down the rankings. Kolkata and Pune entered the top five in H1 2026, while Chennai and Calicut also appeared among the top 10 destinations.
Vista said the changing destination mix reflects a broader commercial relationship between the UAE and India, with business activity increasingly extending beyond the country’s traditional financial and corporate centres.
Stefano Miggiano, President – South Asia & Türkiye at Vista, said: “As UAE–India economic ties continue to expand, business aviation is playing a critical role in connecting decision-makers with the markets and projects shaping this growth. While Mumbai and New Delhi remain important destinations — reflecting a mature and long-established commercial relationship — the more notable trend is the increasing accessibility for executives to access India’s specialist economic centers.
“Vista’s global network and flexible connectivity enable executives to travel efficiently between the UAE and a wider range of Indian cities, including those where manufacturing, engineering, technology and infrastructure projects are increasingly concentrated.”
Why Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are gaining attention
Pune has developed into a major centre for advanced manufacturing, automotive engineering and technology development, while Chennai has a strong manufacturing and logistics base spanning automotive, electronics, renewable energy, maritime industries and technology.
Kolkata provides access to eastern India’s industrial, infrastructure and regional trade networks.
For Dubai-based companies and investors, the changing travel patterns suggest that UAE-India business connections are increasingly reaching cities where production, engineering and large-scale projects are located.
The data is based on Vista Member flight activity and therefore reflects the travel patterns of the company’s membership rather than total UAE-India passenger traffic.
UAE-India economic ties continue to deepen
The trend comes as commercial ties between the UAE and India continue to develop following implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which has expanded cooperation across areas including trade, investment, financial services, technology, logistics, manufacturing and innovation.
Dubai’s role as an international business hub also supports connections between Gulf-based companies and overseas markets.
Vista says its global network gives Members access to more than 2,400 airports across 96% of the world’s countries, allowing executives to travel between established business centres and emerging commercial destinations.
Miggiano added: “Today’s executives operate across increasingly complex international networks. They need the ability to move efficiently between markets, visit operational sites, meet partners and respond quickly to new opportunities. As business relationships become more geographically diverse, flexible connectivity becomes increasingly important in supporting growth across borders.”
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
