New Delhi, Feb. 18 -- India and the United Arab Emirates are likely to grow two-way trade to $200 billion before the target date of 2032 and there is growing interest in the Emirates for co-investments in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and aviation hubs built around airports, the UAE's special envoy for business and philanthropy said on Tuesday. Badr Jafar, who was appointed to the position by UAE's deputy prime minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan last year, is visiting India this week to drum up business opportunities in new areas and to drive investments through meetings in New Delhi and Mumbai. Jafar told HT in an interview that the UAE-India relationship is distinctive because it is "rooted in future-facing models" and built on trust and shared ambition at a time of widespread disruptions in the global economy. "Bilateral trade now exceeds $100 billion annually, it hit that number five years before the original schedule [of 2030] and the leadership of the UAE and India have set a clear trajectory towards $200 billion, or doubling trade flows, by 2032. I think there's a lot of optimism that we can hit that number well before 2032," Jafar said. The target of doubling bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032 was set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed when the Emirati leader visited New Delhi last month. The two sides also unveiled plans for a strategic defence partnership and a 10-year agreement for supply of 0.5 million tonnes of LNG a year. The UAE is India's third-largest trade partner and second largest export destination, with exports worth more than $36.63 billion in 2024-25. It is also India's fourth-largest source of oil and second-largest supplier of LNG and LPG. Referring to his meetings in New Delhi, Jafar said the India-UAE partnership is no longer built on energy, but also encompasses energy infrastructure, logistics, digital platforms, advanced manufacturing, and innovation ecosystems and next-gen industries....