Engineers India Ltd (EIL) is looking at new business opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the two Gulf nations plan to expand pipeline and storage infrastructure to reduce their dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.
The state-owned engineering and consultancy company is exploring opportunities involving crude oil and petroleum product pipelines, terminals and strategic oil storage facilities. EIL Chairman and Managing Director Atul Gupta said the proposed infrastructure projects across the region could represent investments of more than $1 billion.
The projects are expected to have a gestation period of around two to three years. EIL has already expressed interest in participating in the development of infrastructure aimed at creating alternative routes for the movement and export of crude oil and petroleum products.
The focus on alternative energy infrastructure has gained importance following disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is a critical route for global oil and gas shipments, and the recent conflict in the region has increased the urgency among Gulf producers to strengthen alternative export routes and storage capacity.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are therefore looking at infrastructure that can allow energy supplies to move through routes that do not depend entirely on the Strait. Such projects could include additional pipelines, terminals and storage facilities, creating opportunities for engineering and consultancy companies with experience in large-scale energy infrastructure.
EIL has been strengthening its presence in the Gulf to participate in such projects. The company opened an office in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, adding to its existing presence in the UAE. EIL also has a long-term in-Kingdom services agreement with Saudi Aramco.
The company expects international business to remain an important growth driver. During FY2025-26, overseas consultancy contributed about ₹4,929 crore, accounting for nearly 62 per cent of the fresh business secured by EIL during the year.
EIL’s international portfolio currently includes projects and engagements across markets such as Mongolia, Guyana, the UAE, Bahrain, Algeria and Kuwait. The company has been seeking to expand its global engineering and consultancy footprint beyond its traditional domestic energy-sector base.
The potential Gulf opportunities come as EIL’s overall order book continues to expand. The company had secured fresh business worth ₹7,978 crore during FY2025-26, taking its order book to ₹15,109 crore as of March 31, 2026. By the first quarter of FY2026-27, the order book had risen to more than ₹17,000 crore.
Apart from oil and gas infrastructure, EIL is also diversifying into other sectors. The company is currently involved in engineering and design work for nuclear power projects and has signed an agreement with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for conceptual design and engineering of structures, systems and components for Bharat Small Modular Reactors.
The planned expansion of pipeline, terminal and storage infrastructure in the Gulf could therefore provide EIL with a fresh avenue for international engineering and consultancy orders, particularly as Saudi Arabia and the UAE seek to strengthen the resilience and flexibility of their energy-export infrastructure.
