October 18, 2026
On 6 October 2026, the UAE and the five-nation Eurasian Economic Union cut tariffs on roughly 85% of traded goods, opening the Gulf to cheaper Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian wheat, barley and pulses. Here is what that means for Indian exporters who treat the UAE as a core market.
On 6 October 2026, the United Arab Emirates and the five-nation Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) — Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan — brought into force a new Economic Partnership Agreement. According to Gulf trade publication Salaam Gateway and Russia's TASS news agency, the deal eliminates or reduces tariffs on about 85% of tariff lines and covers roughly 95% of bilateral trade by value. Neither party to this agreement is India, but any manufacturer, merchant exporter or importer who treats the UAE as a sourcing hub, a re-export gateway, or a core buyer market needs to understand what just changed next door.
The Eurasian Economic Commission and trade outlet Konsu Group both confirm that the UAE is granting preferential access to roughly 86% of its product range from EAEU countries, covering about 98% of the volume of EAEU exports into the UAE. On the agricultural and food side, the named categories are significant for global agri-traders: grains (wheat, barley, corn), pulses and dried vegetables (chickpeas, peas, lentils, beans), vegetable oils, dairy products, meat, poultry and confectionery. Salaam Gateway reports that non-oil trade between the UAE and the EAEU bloc already exceeded USD 33.3 billion in 2025, up 15% year-on-year, and the Eurasian Economic Commission expects the new agreement to add a further USD 5–6 billion annually. Separately, Konsu Group reports EAEU exporters are projected to save at least USD 266 million a year in customs duties on shipments into the UAE.
The UAE is not just a consumer market — it is widely used as a re-export and consolidation hub for food trade into the wider Middle East, South Asia and East Africa, with Jebel Ali frequently cited as the key entry point for this role. Wheat, barley and pulses (including chickpeas) are staples that Indian exporters already compete to supply into Gulf buyers, either directly or through UAE-based trading houses. With Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian grain and pulses now entering the UAE on better tariff terms, Indian-origin wheat, barley and chickpea-based products (such as chana dal) may face sharper price competition in UAE tenders and in any onward business the UAE re-exports into South Asian and African markets that Indian exporters also serve.
A pure price contest favours the lowest-cost bulk supplier, which this agreement structurally advantages for Eurasian grain. But Gulf buyers sourcing wheat, barley and pulses for food-grade human consumption increasingly also weigh consistency of supply, quality certification, packaging flexibility and relationship continuity — areas where an established exporter with a track record in the UAE can still compete on terms other than price alone. Indian suppliers who have built direct relationships with UAE importers, offer flexible lot sizes, or supply specialty grades (for instance branded chana dal rather than undifferentiated bulk chickpeas) are better placed to absorb this shift than those competing purely on landed cost per tonne.
Business takeaway: if your export business supplies wheat or barley to Gulf buyers, or pulses such as chana dal into UAE-linked markets, this is the moment to revisit your UAE pricing and value proposition rather than wait for the first lost tender to find out the landscape has changed. The opportunity is not to out-price Eurasian bulk grain — it is to be unmistakably more reliable, better documented and more responsive than a cheaper alternative that is still new to the route.
Premium Indian Wheat for Global Food & Grain Markets We supply and export quality Indian wheat sourced from reliable suppliers and processed to meet the requirements of international buyers. Our wheat is suitable for human consumption and can be supplied in different grades, specifications, and packaging formats according to buyer requirements.
Indian barley is a nutritious cereal grain widely used in human food applications. We supply food-grade barley for human consumption, including Whole Barley, Hulled Barley, Pearled Barley, and Barley Flakes. Our barley is sourced from reliable Indian suppliers and supplied cleaned, graded, processed, and packed according to buyer requirements.
Chana Dal, also known as Split Bengal Gram, is prepared from mature chickpeas by removing the outer skin and splitting the kernels into smaller, rounded halves. It has a naturally nutty flavour, firm texture and excellent versatility in cooking. Chana Dal is widely used in Indian cuisine and is also suitable for food-service, food-processing and international bulk markets.
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