NEW DELHI / SHARJAH: As Indian publishing houses increasingly look beyond their domestic market for growth, Sharjah is positioning itself as a strategic launchpad for their international ambitions.
At the Global Publishing Exchange 2026, hosted in New Delhi by Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone in partnership with Mint, publishers, authors, literary agents, media entrepreneurs and industry leaders gathered to explore new avenues for collaboration between India and the UAE.
The event underscored the growing economic and cultural ties between the two countries, with bilateral trade reaching US$100 billion since the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022. Organisers also pointed to the rapid growth of India’s publishing industry, now valued at more than US$8 billion and expanding at an estimated 20 percent annually.
For many participants, the discussion centred on a practical question: how can Indian publishers scale internationally without becoming entangled in regulatory and operational complexities?
According to Saif Al Suwaidi, Sharjah’s approach is to simplify that process. He highlighted the free zone’s integrated business ecosystem, including what SPC describes as the world’s first AI-powered business licence, alongside tax incentives and full foreign ownership provisions designed to help publishers focus on content creation and market expansion.
Industry leaders noted that the appetite for overseas growth among Indian publishers has never been stronger. Rakshita Madan said publishers are increasingly exploring opportunities outside India, while emphasising that successful expansion depends on sustainable growth strategies and efficient execution.
The conference also featured expert discussions on UAE-India taxation frameworks, intellectual property protection and cross-border business structuring. Tax specialist Gauri Chadha outlined the advantages available to publishing companies seeking a regional base in the UAE.
A panel titled New Pathways for Indian Publishers brought together some of the industry’s most influential voices, including Namita Gokhale, Ramesh K. Mittal, Aditi Maheshwari and Ashish K. Gupta. Discussions ranged from digital publishing and rights trading to international distribution and market access.
The event concluded with a session led by Iman Ben Chaibah, who described Sharjah as an emerging platform for networking, rights transactions and publishing partnerships. She also highlighted growing demand across the Gulf for cultural and educational content, a trend that could create fresh opportunities for Indian publishers seeking new audiences.
The figures presented at the conference illustrate the scale of Sharjah’s ambitions. SPC Free Zone today hosts more than 20,000 companies, including over 4,500 Indian firms. Among them are 152 businesses operating in publishing, digital publishing, printing and distribution.
Sharjah has also developed a digital rights-exchange platform connecting more than 400 publishing houses across 80 countries, strengthening its claim to becoming one of the world’s most connected hubs for the publishing industry.
For Indian publishers eyeing readers beyond their borders, the message from New Delhi was clear: Sharjah wants to be their bridge to the world.
