India Togo Relations

India – Togo Relations
India and Togo have cordial bilateral relations. Togolese President Mr. GnassingbeEyadema visited India in 1994. Earlier, in 1989, he had made a brief stopover in Calcutta on his way to China. Prime Minister Mr. Gilbert Houngbo visited India to participate in the CII-Exim Bank Conclave in March 2010.

From Togo, Minister of Planning, Industrial Development and Administrative Reforms visited India in 1981. Minister for Rural Development visited India in 1985. High-level government and business delegations participated in the CII-EXIM Conclave on ‘IndiaAfrica Project Partnerships’ held in November 2005 and October 2006 in New Delhi and in May 2006 in Accra. Minister of Cooperation and NEPAD of Togo led the Togolese delegation for the CII Conclave in October 2006.

Prime Minister, Mr. Gilbert FoussonHoungbo led a Togolese delegation to the 6th CIIExim Bank Conclave in India in March 2010 and the 12th Regional Conclave on IndiaAfrica Project Partnership in Accra on 3 June 2010. The senior diplomatic Advisor to the President, Mr. KoffiEsaw, visited India in October, 2010 in connection with inauguration of the resident Mission of Togo in India.

A Togolese delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation visited India and participated in the Conference of LDC countries in February, 2011. A 50- member delegation led by the Prime Minister, Mr. Gilbert FossounHoungbo, visited India in March, 2011 for the CII Conclave. A Ministerial delegation led by Mr. NoupokouDammipi, Minister of Mining & Energy visited Delhi in November, 2011 to sign the LOC agreement with Exim Bank of India for US$ 15 million Line of Credit (LOC) credit extended to the Government of Togo for Rural Electrification Project.

Three MPs, Mr. AdjamgbaAgbessiTheophile, Mr. Koffi Joseph TchikoAkoda and Mr. AyaoNicodemeHabia visited India to participate in the ‘Leaders of the Future’ programme, held in March 2012. The last two MPs, Mr. K. AkodaTchiko Joseph and Mr. AyaoHabia again visited India in March 2013 under the “Leaders of the Future” programme and also participated in the 9th CII EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership. Ms. EssossimnaLegzim-Balouki, Minister of Trade and Private Sector Promotion, led the Togolese delegation to the 9th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave held in Delhi in March, 2013. The Minister of Commerce & Private Sector Promotion led a 7- member delegation to the 10th EXIM Bank – CII Conclave held in New Delhi in March 2014.

From India, LokSabha Speaker, Dr. BalramJakhar, visited Lome in 1985 for the InterParliamentary Conference. An Indian dance ensemble visited Togo in 1984. ShriAnand Sharma, MOS(AS), met the President of Togo on 7 March 2007 in Accra during their visit to Ghana to participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Ghana’s Independence and discussed with him various issues of mutual interest. A 5-member Indian delegation led by Shri Ajay Bhattacharya, Secretary (Fertilizers), visited Togo on 10-11 July, 2012 for exploring possibilities of cooperation in the area of phosphatic fertilizers. Another high level GOI delegation, led by ShriSudhirMital, Secretary (Fertilizer), visited Togo in June, 2013 for exploring possibilities of mining of phosphate and downstream manufacture of fertilizer.

A 3-member Indian delegation led by ShriArvindKaushal, Additional Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education visited Togo in December 2013 in connection with the establishment of Agricultural Seed Production-cum-Demonstration Centre in Togo under IAFS decisions. A 2-member IL&FS Cluster delegation, Dr Milan Sharma and Ms. Swati Joshi visited Togo in May 2014 in connection with providing technical assistance for development of the Togolese cotton industry. India does not have a resident Mission in Togo. The Indian High Commission in Accra is concurrently accredited to Togo. There is an Indian Honorary Consul in Lome. Togo has opened a resident Mission in New Delhi in October 2010 headed by a resident Charge d’Affaires.

Commercial relations:

India has provided economic assistance to Togo in the form of tractors (60), water pumps, sewing machines, ambulance, transport vehicles, corn-grinding machines, etc. On the request from the Togolese government, Indelible ink was supplied in 2002 for the elections held in Togo. India d sent a consignment of medicines required by the floods affected people in 2008 The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) of India organized a 2-day Indian Textile Exhibition (INTEXPO 2013) in March, 2013 in Togo. This first ever exhibition received good participation from local companies/traders.

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IFFT), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Togo, organized an Executive Development Programme (EDP) in Lomein August 2013. It was attended by 69 participants from the Government, Public Sector organizations and private businesses. A two-member delegation from Apollo Hospitals visited Togo in March 2015 to explore opportunities in the health sector.

India has extended four Lines of Credit (LOCs) totaling US$ 144.35 million through EBID and bilaterally) to Togo for various projects, which include ‘Project Health Equipment’ (completed); project to Upgrade the Power Generation and Distribution Capacity of CCET (under implementation); Rural Electrification (launched in October 2013); Transmission Lines in Kara-Mango-Dapong (signed in March 2014)and financing “Farming and Cultivation of Rice, Maize and Sorghum” (under processing).

In 2008, Togo signed the Country Agreement with TCIL for the Pan African E-Network Project which has been implemented. India has also offered to set up three other projects, viz. Human Settlement Centre, an India-Africa Centre for English Language Training, and an Agricultural Seed Production-cum-Demonstration in Togo under the decisions of the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS). Secretary, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) led a 3-member delegation from India for discussions with Togolese authorities on the setting up of Agricultural Seed Production-cumDemonstration Centre in Togo in December 2013.

According to available statistics, total bilateral trade between the two countries, has seen a consistent growth in the last four years. The trade figures are as follows:

(Figures in USD million)

Year Export to Togo Import from Togo Total Trade
2011-12 355 150.28 505.28
2012-13 299.88 177.41 477.29
2013-14 443.93 156.34 600.27
2014-15 688.42 195.65 884.07
India’s major exports to Togo include mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; cereals and preparation of cereals cotton; articles of apparel and clothing; iron and steel articles; man-made filaments; man-made staple fibers; drugs and pharmaceuticals; machinery & mechanical appliances; plastic and articles thereof; rubber and articles thereof; vehicles and parts and accessories thereof, etc. Imports from Togo include natural phosphates, ferrous and copper waste and scrap; wood and articles of wood; other metal scrap; oil seeds; coconuts & brazil nuts etc..

ITEC:

India offers training in human resource development under the Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme. In the last couple of years, Togo has expressed strong interest in the capacity building modules under the ITEC programme. It utilized 35 slots allotted in the FY 2012-13 while in the last FY 2013-14, 37 slots were utilized. It has been allotted 50 ITEC slots for the FY 2014-15, of which 35 slots were utilized. In addition to the above, 6 Togolese scientists travelled to India between June and December 2013 for research studies under the CV Raman Research Fellowships Scheme.

Indian community:

Indian community in Togo is small and there are about 200-300 Indians living in the country. Most of them are businessmen engaged in trading, assembling, running super markets, hotels etc. The community has an Association though not very active due to the small size of the community. The International Day of Yoga was organized on 21 June 2015 with a participation of about 150 people from different walks of life.

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