India – Chad Relations

Relations between India and Chad are very cordial and India enjoys great goodwill and admiration in the Republic of Chad. High level contacts and cooperation between India and Chad have picked up since 2004 with many bilateral Visits & High level interactions. While many Chadian ministerial delegations have been to India since 2005, very few high level visits from our side have taken place. The details of visits may be seen at Annexure.

2. There is good scope for mutually beneficial co-operation in hydrocarbon, infrastructure and capacity building sectors with Chad. The country is a member of TEAM-9 initiative (Techno-Economic Approach for African Movement) comprising eight West and Central African countries seeking to benefit in technical and economic spheres through cooperation with India. Chad has been a beneficiary of Indian Lines of Credit of US$ 50 million for five projects which they highly appreciate.

COMMERCIAL & TRADE RELATIONS:

3. During past few years India’s direct bilateral trade with Chad has surged from a small base but yet remains below potential. However, evidence on ground suggests considerable larger presence of Indian goods, largely imported via Dubai, Cameroon and Nigeria. Despite reminders, Chad has not yet signed Duty Free Preferential Tariffs offered by GoI to all Least Developed Countries. Indian exports to Chad have steadily increased till 2012-13 but have decreased to US$32.90 million during the period 2013-14. However, it has increased by 23% in 2014-15 to reach at US$40.68 million.

India – Chad Bilateral Trade Statistics (Value in US $ million)

	2010- 11	2011- 12	2012- 13	2013- 14	2014- 15
India’s Exports	11.9	39	46	32.90 (-28%)	40.68 (+23%)
India’s Imports	0.57	0.15	157.15*	30.06 (-73%)	62.77 (+457%)

*India has started sourcing crude from Chad.

Indian Companies in Chad:

4. Indian economic presence in Chad received a boost in June 2010 through Airtel’s $1 billion acquisition of Zain Telecom. Airtel is now Chad’s biggest network and is investing $ 100 million in expansion of the network. Some Indian private companies are in the process of starting ventures in the pharmaceutical, foodstuffs, restaurants, and edible oil, etc. sectors in Chad. Some Indian companies based in Nigeria and Tanzania are also exploring opportunities for investment in Chad. Bharat Heavy Industries have supplied 331 Kilometres of pipes for the oil refinery project.

BILATERAL INDIAN GRANTS/LINE OF CREDIT:

5. The republic of Chad has been a recipient of many our assistance programmes. The details may be seen here under:

• GOI donated 5,000 metric tonnes of rice to Chad in 2004.

• In July 2005, GOI approved EXIM lines of credit totalling US$ 50 million under the TEAM-9 initiative for 5 projects in Chad pertaining to: (a) Bicycle manufacturing plant; (b) plant for manufacturing and assembly of agricultural tractors, power tillers, trailers and implements; (c) steel billet plant and rolling mill; (d) cotton yarn plant, and (e) a fruit juice plant.

• A GoI Line of Credit of $ 40.32 million approved for the following four projects became operational after signing of agreement on January 19, 2012:
(a) Rural Electrification Project (solar energy) ($ 15 million)
(b) Extension of spinning mill (addition of weaving & processing capacities) ($ 15.90 m)
(c) Compost Production Unit ($ 7.20 million)
(d) Production Unit for Livestock Feed ($ 2.22 million) (Exim Bank vide letter dated 14/11/2013 conveyed substitution of (c) & (d) with Animal Feed Plant (US$9.3 million).
(e) Another Line of Credit of $ 18.08 million has been approved by Government of India in May 2012 for pharmaceutical manufacturing plant which has been duly signed by two sides. Chad is looking forward to more such credit facilities

6. Pan African e-Network: Chadian government signed in 2009 an MoU paving the way for their participation in Pan African e-Network. The installation of the network has commenced in Chad and a TCIL expert has been deployed in Ndjamena

ITEC & CULTURE

7. Till 2006-07, Chad was allotted 5 slots under ITEC (Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation) Programme. Since the first India-Africa Forum Summit in 2008, the ITEC quota for Chad has progressively risen from 20 slots in 2011-12 (4 utilised) to 25 slots in 2012-13 (8 utilised). The country has been awarded 25 ITEC slots in 2013-14 due to language constraints 7 have been utilised. During 2014-15, only one slot was utilised against 25 slots allocated for the year. The number of slots for 2015-16 has also been kept at 25. A Chadian diplomat participated in the 55th Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats (PCFD) organized by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in August 2012 in New Delhi. Separately, for past few years, a number of Chadian youth have been availing of Hindi language training fellowships in India.

Indian Community:

8. About 200 Indians work in Chad in oil projects, international organisations, missionaries, Airtel operations and foreign trade. There have been some cases of maltreatment of Indians in hands of local employers and authorities. In February 2008, due to rebel attacks on N’djamena, High Commission facilitated evacuation of Indian community from Chad. Following return to more peaceful conditions, most of them returned to Chadian capital. Indian Honorary Consul: Mr. Badaoui Tidjani was appointed as India’s Honorary Consul w.e.f. September 2013.

Air Connectivity:

9. There are no direct air connections between India and Chad. Airlines serving Chad include Air France, Ethiopian airlines, Asky and Kenyan Airways. There are two flights a week from Paris to Chad and several times a week from Addis Ababa and Nairobi with connections to India.

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India – Chad Relations

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