The ongoing regional conflict and geopolitical uncertainty may have raised concerns around the UAE economy and investor sentiment, but industry participants on the ground believe the impact remains temporary rather than structural. According to Dr. (CA) Ankur Aggarwal, Founder and Chairman of BNW Developments, perceptions outside the country often differ significantly from realities within the UAE.

Speaking to Business Today Editor Siddharth Zarabi on the recent developments and their effect on business activity and the real estate sector in the UAE, Aggarwal described the situation as unfortunate but stressed that resilience remains a defining feature of the UAE market.

“See, you are right actually, this is a very unfortunate scenario and nobody could have imagined that it will happen in this way,” Aggarwal said.

He noted that while developments over the past few weeks had created uncertainty, the reality on the ground remained different from how the situation was often perceived internationally.

“So this is a resilient country. The people are more resilient. They are they believe in the leadership and the leadership is doing their work phenomenally well,” he said.

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He added that external perceptions often fail to reflect the reality experienced by businesses operating within the country.

Real estate sees limited impact

Aggarwal emphasized that despite uncertainty, the UAE property sector has not witnessed a significant slowdown.

“So this is a resilient country. The people are more resilient. They are they are they believe in the leadership and the leadership is doing their work phenomenally well. They have taken care of the people. They are taking care of the situation,” he said.

He added, “I can say that there is not much dip that you can see in the real estate industry, even.”

According to him, continued confidence in the UAE market reflects broader structural strength.

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“What this means that people are still relying on the market because there is no substitute of UAE. So people will come here.”

Aggarwal acknowledged that tourism had witnessed some moderation but pointed to the UAE’s past recovery track record.

“Yes, there is a decline in tourism, but eventually it will fall back. UAE has a history of fighting back with the situation we have seen in 2008. Then we see the same situation in COVID times and now this conflict.”

He said the disruption should be viewed as short-term.

“I can tell you that this is a very temporary kind of situation. Yes, there is an impact, but it's not much, and it will be recovered very soon.”

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Businesses and ground reality

The discussion also highlighted supply-chain disruptions and changing business dynamics resulting from ongoing uncertainty.

“There is a restriction in the supply chain and we are facing a little bit of difficulty in getting the building material and other things but eventually it will also pass,” Aggarwal said.

However, he noted that companies are actively finding alternatives.

“So definitely it's an opportunity to look for the new ideas and the new uh ways to you know manage the situation.”

Aggarwal also expressed optimism regarding India-UAE ties and future business prospects.

“There is no doubt about it that it will happen, and the UAE might become the top business partner of uh of of of India in the future as well.”

Despite short-term challenges, he maintained that confidence in the UAE ecosystem remains strong and long-term prospects remain intact.

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Published on: May 20, 2026 5:54 PM IST