India and UAE have signed a mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) for authorised economic operators (AEOs) of both countries, India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), said. 

The AEO programme enables customs administration to identify safe and compliant exporters and importers and to provide them better facilitation, CBIC said in a tweet. 

Under MRA, customs authorities recognise AEOs of both countries, which helps expedite customs clearances.

Local media reported earlier that India is seeking to conclude an MRA with the UAE to allow nurses, company secretaries, chartered accountants and dentists, among others, to gain faster entry to the UAE and other Gulf countries.

In May 2022, the UAE and India implemented the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to boost bilateral trade and economic ties.

Bilateral non-oil trade reached $50.5 billion from May 2022 to April 2023, a 5.8 percent increase year-on-year, according to initial figures from the UAE Ministry of Economy.

(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com)