Bahrain's current industrial programme was instituted in 1975 in an effort to diversify away from oil & natural gas products. The plan has been successful as processing industries contribution to the gross domestic product increased to 17.34% in 2015.

The government has created two new industrial parks in order to attract foreign companies to Bahrain and expand the sector in order to facilitate further growth of local industry, and to encourage and promote industrial projects to bring foreign investments to Bahrain.

For more information please visit the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism website

Obtaining an industrial license in Bahrain is quite simple and the procedures are straightforward. Industrial Development Directorate of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism is responsible of issuing industrial licenses. The procedure could be summarized as follows:

• Submit industrial License application form duly completed together with a copy of passport/ID Card to the licensing section of the Industrial Development Directorate (IDD).
• The application will be reviewed and a preliminary license will be issued.
• The applicant should decide on location of his project in one of the existing industrial areas or another suitable location.

The IDD will write to the following authorities for their approval.

• Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning.
• Ministry of Health(Directorate of Public Health).
• Environmental Protection Affairs.
• Other related authorities if needed.

After obtaining the approval of the above authorities, a final license will be issued.

The applicant should then obtain a commercial registration certificate from Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism that will allow him to commence business.

Besides oil and gas industries, the other main industrial sectors in Bahrain are:

• Aluminum
• Petrochemicals and Plastics
• Food Processing
• Garments Industries sector
• Engineering
• Handicrafts
• Small and Medium Industries

For new start-ups, Bahrain Business Incubator Centre (BBIC) has been set up with the primary focus of encouraging the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among aspiring businessmen. The center provides entrepreneurs with an array of resources and services to sustain their business in the initial stages and through continued support in order to ensure their successful development over time.

The BBIC is the first of its kind in Bahrain. An organization initiated & owned by Bahrain Development Bank, supported by the Ministry Industry, Commerce & Tourism, and in cooperation with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Kingdom of Bahrain's Laws and regulations related to industry can be found in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism website.