The event brought together Indian publishing houses, media and content entrepreneurs, authors seeking to expand their international publishing and distribution opportunities, literary agents and industry consultants, as well as senior figures and specialists seeking to leverage the economic ties between the UAE and India.

Five key themes

The conference focused on five key themes: Sharjah’s positioning as a gateway to global markets; taxation and business structuring; India–Sharjah publishing partnerships; new pathways for Indian publishers to expand internationally; and the strategic advantages of the SPC Free Zone in supporting global expansion.

A strong partnership and a platform for growth

The event underscored UAE–India ties as a platform for growth in the publishing sector, with bilateral trade reaching USD 100 billion after the 2022 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. It highlighted opportunities to translate this momentum into tangible business outcomes and scalable cross-border partnerships, as India’s publishing industry, valued at over USD 8 billion, continues to expand by 20 per cent annually.

Greater scope to direct investment into content and talent

In his opening remarks, Saif Al Suwaidi, Director of SPC Free Zone, said: “Sharjah approaches international expansion by removing the complexities that hinder publishers’ growth and market access, allowing them to focus on knowledge creation and on building faster, more effective connections. Through an integrated business environment, including the world’s first AI-powered business licence, alongside full foreign ownership and tax advantages, companies have greater scope to direct investment towards strengthening content, talent and business expansion.”

For her part, Rakshita Madan, Editor at Mint, added: “Indian publishers are looking to expand globally, but success is not driven by ambition alone. It depends on the ability to execute effectively and turn expansion into a sustainable pathway that supports long-term growth.”

Presentation on tax and regulatory frameworks

The conference programme featured Gauri Chadha, a tax matters expert, who delivered a presentation on UAE–India tax frameworks, outlining the regulatory and tax advantages of Sharjah’s business environment. She highlighted how this environment enables Indian publishers to build more efficient business models, protect intellectual property, and benefit from economic agreements between the two markets.

New pathways for Indian publishers

A panel titled “New Pathways for Indian Publishers” featured Namita Gokhale, author and co-founder of the Jaipur Literature Festival; Ramesh K. Mittal, President of the Federation of Indian Publishers; Aditi Maheshwari, President of the Association of Indian Publishers and Booksellers; and Ashish K. Gupta, Executive Director of Atlantic Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd.

Speakers examined the transformation of India’s publishing sector, the need for more efficient operating models, and opportunities for collaboration across distribution, rights exchange, digital publishing, and the strengthening of institutional presence in international markets.

Sharjah and India: building a new bridge in publishing

The conference concluded with a fireside discussion, “Sharjah and India: Building the next Publishing Bridge”, featuring Iman Ben Chaibah, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Global Markets at the Sharjah Book Authority.

She explored ways to strengthen ties between Sharjah and India’s publishing sectors, highlighting the emirate’s role as a platform for networking, deal-making, and business development, and the use of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to support growth. She added that the Gulf region’s rising demand for cultural and educational content presents a strong opportunity for Indian publishers seeking new markets and long-term investment.

Capacity to support high-quality partnerships

The conference highlighted the advantages of the SPC Free Zone, which hosts more than 20,000 companies, including over 4,552 Indian firms. These include around 152 companies specialising in publishing, digital publishing, printing and distribution, underscoring the depth of Indian presence within the ecosystem and its capacity to support further high-value partnerships، The emirate also offers a digital platform connecting more than 400 publishing houses across 80 countries for rights exchange, further reinforcing its role as a global centre for the publishing industry.