India – Niger Relations
Bilateral relations between India and Niger are cordial. Bilateral activities gained momentum after our Mission in Niamey was opened in May 2009. Niger opened its Embassy in New Delhi in November, 2011.
Visits from Niger
There have been several ministerial level visits from Niger to India. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger visited India in March, 2005 and in April & August 2006. High level government and commercial delegations participated in the CII-EXIM Conclave on “India-Africa Project Partnerships” held in March and November 2005 and in October 2006 in New Delhi. The Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Ms. TakoubakoyeAminataBoureima, visited Hyderabad to participate in the ITU-World Telecom Development Conference (WTDC-10) from 24th May to 4th June, 2010. The Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in the “India-LDC Ministerial Conference” held in New Delhi on 18-19 February, 2011. H.E. Mr. FoumakoyeGado, Minister of Mines and Energy, visited India from 26th to 30th June, 2011. H.E. Mr. Mamadou Diallo, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research visited India to attend India-Africa Science and technology Ministerial Conference from 1-2 March, 2012. During 2012-13 Mr. FoumakoyeGado, Minister of Energy and Petroleum visited India to participate in International Seminar on Energy Access, held in New Delhi from 9 to 10 October 2012. A five-member delegation comprising senior government officials and leading importers of pharmaceuticals in Niger attended Reverse Buyer Seller Meet coinciding with 64th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress during 7 to 9 December 2012 at Chennai. A 16- member delegation from Niger attended the 9th CII EXIM Bank India-Africa Conclave held in New Delhi from March 17-19, 2013. The delegation was led by Mr. AmadouBoubacarCisse, Minister of Plan, Territorial Planning and Community Development. Mr. Omar HamidouTchiana, Minister of Mines and Industrial Development and Mr. Saley Saidou, Minister of Commerce and Promotion of Private Sector were also part of the delegation. The delegation also included Senior Government officials, Vice President of Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Handicrafts of Niger and businessmen. The Minster of Water Resources and Environment of Niger, Mr. IssoufouIssaka, visited New Delhi from 14-16 June, 2013, on the invitation of WAPCOS to sign MOU for PMC for “Potable Water Project”, an LOC project under consideration with GOI at that time. Mr. Alma Oumarou, Minister of Commerce and Promotion of Private Sector of Niger, accompanied by Ms. ZadaMariama, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Commerce and Promotion of Private Sector; Mr. BonzougouAdoulaye, Technical Advisor and Mr. Moussa Mossi, Director General of the Promotiion of Private Sector visited India to participate in the 10th edition of CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership held in New Delhi from 9-11 March 2014. Mr. Alma Oumarou also addressed the Conclave. Mr. AmadouBoubacarCisse, Minister of Plan, Land Management and Community Development of Niger accompanied by Mr. Yakoubou Mahaman Sani, Director General of Investment, Ministry of Plan visited India from 13-14 March 2014 for signing the EXIM Bank’s Line of Credit (LOC) Agreement of USD 25 million for potable water for semi-urban and rural communities in Niger.
Visits from India
Shri Anand Sharma, the then Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs met the then Prime Minister of Niger in March 2007 in Accra during his visit to Ghana to participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Ghana’s Independence. Various issues of mutual interest were discussed in these meetings. An 11-member CII trade delegation led by Joint Secretary (West Africa), visited Niamey from 28 to 30 May 2012. The delegation held meetings with the Prime Minister and several other Ministers of the Government of Niger. A Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation between CII and Nigerien Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts was also signed.
Shri G.M. Siddeshwara, Minister of State for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, visited Niger from 8-10 July, 2015 as the Special Envoy of Hon’ble Prime Minister of Indiato deliver the letters of invitations for the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi from 26-30 October 2015. He called on President IssoufouMahamadouand Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration and Niger Citizens Abroad Mrs. KaffaRekiatouChristelleJackouon 9 July and handed over the invitations.
Bilateral Trade
India’s trade with Niger stood at USD 78.77 million during 2014-15, with Indian exports to Niger being USD 78.22 million. The main items being exported from India to Niger included cereals & other edible items, pharmaceuticals, cotton, electrical machinery & equipment and articles of plastics. India imported mainly raw hides and skins and articles of lead. Potential areas of our bilateral economic cooperation include infrastructure, transport, energy, mining, ICT, health and agriculture. The table below shows the trade between India and Niger [in USD million]:
| Year | Indian exports to Niger | Indian imports from Niger Total trade | Total |
| 2009-10 | 37.9 | 0.25 | 38.15 |
| 2010-11 | 47.08 | 10.47 | 57.55 |
| 2011-12 | 88.07 | 0.15 | 88.22 |
| 2012-13 | 56.13 | 69.05 | 125.18 |
| 2013-14 | 86.32 | 0.54 | 86.86 |
| 2014-15 | 78.22 | 0.55 | 78.77 |
Source: Department of Commerce, Government of India.
Development Partnership
A Line of Credit (LOC) of US $ 17 million was extended to Niger in July, 2005, under NEPAD for ‘procurement of buses, trucks, tractors, flour mills and motor pumps etc. Another LOC of US $ 20 million was extended under TEAM 9 for ‘power supply and electrification’ in July 2008. These LOCs have been utilized.
Two LOCs have been extended in June, 2013 – (i) for electrification of 30 villages using photovoltaic system (US$9.84 million), and (ii) setting up of a solar plant of 5 MW capacity(24.70 million). Another LOC of USD 25 million for Drinking Water for semi-urban and rural communities was extended in January 2014. India provided a relief package of basic medicines to Niger in September 2005 towards assistance for the humanitarian efforts for the food crisis. Indian experts visited Niger in 2006 to ascertain the requirement for computerization of Niger’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Mines & Energy and Dry-land Agricultural Research. Technical assistance was provided to Niger in ICT and agriculture sectors. Government of India later supplied 100 computers and 100 printers, worth Rs.67 lakh in 2012 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Niger for capacity building.
India granted financial assistance of USD 100,000/- to Niger in August 2010 to help it tide over the ongoing food crisis. A cash grant of Euro 86452/- was also disbursed to help the Government of Niger towards purchase of two television cameras for the National Television of Niger for use at the investiture ceremony on April 7, 2011, for the newly elected President of the Republic of Niger. The Pan African e-Network Project, funded by India, has been established by TCIL in Niamey.
India offers training to Niger in human resource development under ITEC and IAFS. In 2014-15, 150 slots were provided under ITEC, out of which 138 slots were utilized. For the year 2015-16, 140 training slots have been provided under ITEC. Until June 2015, 43 slots have been availed of under IAFS. 2 ICCR scholarships were availed of in 2014-15. ICCR has offered 8 scholarships in 2015-16. Out of 10 slots provided for defence training courses under ITEC Category-I during 2014-15, 6 slots were utilized by Niger defence personnel. Two candidates were sent to India under ‘C.V. Raman – Special Agricultural Scholarship Scheme’ in 2013-14.
Indian Community
There are about 100 Indian nationals residing in Niger. They are mostly engaged in trading and hospitality related business.
Note: Content for this article provided by IAFS.in
India – Niger Relations
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