In order to promote India-Africa trade and economic relations, Ministry of Commerce and Industry regularly reviews India’s trade with Africa through institutional mechanismslike Joint Commission Meetings (JCMs), Joint Trade Committees (JTCs), and Joint Working Groups(JWGs).

 

During the meeting, wide ranging discussions were held cutting across sectors like MSME, Agriculture, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Tourism, Administration of Standards, Development of Human Resources in Higher Education, Science & Technology, Investment Promotion and Protection, Air Services, Energy, Plastics, Textile, Pharmaceuticals, Oil & Gas, Health, Immigration, Automobile and other engineering products. 

 

The First India-Nigeria JTC was held on 19th – 20th December, 2019 in New Delhi, under the Co-chair of Commerce Secretary, Government of India and his Nigerian counterpart. During the meeting discussions were held in various sectors including oil and natural gas, market access in bovine meat, rice, recognition of pharmacopoeia, cooperation of SME sector, higher education and power.

 

The first meeting of the India-South Africa JWG on Trade and Investment was held in January, 2019, to deliberate upon the bottlenecks including non-tariff barriers, and suggest the way forward to further deepen India’s trade with the region.

 

In order to grasp the huge presence of Indian business community in Africa for promoting India’s exports to the region, three rounds of interactions of Minister of Commerce & Industry were organized through Indian Missions with Indian business community in Madagascar, Tanzania, Mauritius, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Ghana, Botswana, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and Egypt over Digital Video Conference (DVC) in May, 2019.

 

On the sidelines of the conclave, bilateral meetings were held between Minister of State (Commerce & Industry) with Trade Ministers of African countries, issues related to trade, investments, and cooperation in agriculture, pharmaceutical sector were discussed.

 

Various opportunities in project exports were discussed by Indian and African business delegates in B2B meetings.

 

For promoting India-Africa trade and economic relations, a regional conclave was organised by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India jointly with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in March, 2019 at New Delhi. 

 

On the sidelines of the Conclave/Regional Conclave, bilateral meetings with participating countries were also held at the Ministerial level to boost up Indian participation in project exports opportunities in African countries. 

 

Ministry of Commerce & Industry jointly with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organized the India-Africa Higher Education and Skill Development Summit at New Delhi.

 

More than two dozen Ministers along with around 500 business delegates from Africa participated in the Conclave.

 

cooperation in the field of issue of recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia in Kenya was also discussed.