Indian businesses and services in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Inland, on the border with Oman, Al Ain feels very different from the coast: date palms, old oases and the ridge of Jebel Hafeet instead of towers and beaches. Its South Asian community is smaller and more settled than Dubai's, built largely around hospitals, universities, schools, farms and the construction trade, and many families have been here for a long time. As across the UAE, many of the Indian residents come from Kerala, and Malayali associations play a large part in community life.

Most shops serving the community, including grocers, tailors, money exchanges and restaurants serving Kerala, Pakistani and North Indian food, are in and around the town centre, near the older souks. The Indian Social Centre in Al Khabisi is a long-standing meeting point that organises the major Indian festivals, including Onam and Diwali, and school halls host further programmes. Across the border sits the Omani town of Buraimi, almost continuous with Al Ain, but crossing means passing through a formal checkpoint with the right documents, so do not treat it as a casual trip.

For temple worship, Hindu families drive to the BAPS Hindu Mandir at Abu Mureikhah, opened in 2024 near the Abu Dhabi to Dubai highway, about an hour and a half away. Sikh residents have a small community gurdwara in the Al Faraa area, which has met in a converted flat since 2000. Eid is the main public holiday, and Ramadan changes shop and office hours across the city.