Embassy of India Niamey, Republic of Niger

India-Niger Bilateral Relations

Embassy of India

Niamey

India-Niger Bilateral Relations

Niger is a land-locked country in sub-Sahara region of West Africa. Bilateral relations between India and Niger are cordial.

Visits from Niger

2. There have been several visits from Niger to India. Former President of Niger visited India twice: in October 2015 to participate in India-Africa Forum Summit; and in March 2018 to attend the Founding Conference of International Solar Alliance. In addition to this, since 2015, following major visits have taken place from Niger:

In 2015 (i) Nigerien Minister of Commerce and Promotion of Private Sector participated in the 4^th African Trade Ministers Meeting held in New Delhi IAFS-III; In 2016 (i) Minister and Special Advisor to the President of Niger visited India and had met with MoS (VKS), MoS (MJA) and MoS in Ministry of Finance; In 2017 (i) Minister of Trade & Private Sector Promotion, and Minister and Special Advisor to the President of Niger, visited India for attending the 12^th CII EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership; and (ii) Minister for Planning and Deputy Minister for Budget participated in the 52^ndAnnual meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Gandhinagar; In 2018 (i) Minister and Special Advisor to the President of Niger (In-charge for the African Union Summit) visited India from 17-19 September to sign the MoU (signed on 19 September) for establishment of Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre in Niamey; (ii) Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation visited India from 29 September – 2 October to participate in the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention; (iii) Minister of Energy, accompanied by Technical Advisor to the Minister for ISA, visited India from 2-5 October to participate in the First Assembly of the International Solar Alliance, which was held in conjunction with the second Renewable Energy Global Investors Meet and Expo (2^nd RE-INVEST); In 2019 (i) In May, Mr. Ibrahima Guimba Saidou, Minister-Special Advisor to President of Niger, visited India to meet officials of Indian Council of Agriculture Research and Department of Agricultural Research and Education to strengthen ties in Agriculture; (ii) Minister of Energy visited India from 30 July-3 August to take part in the First Meeting of the Permanent Committee of the International Solar Alliance; (iii) Mr. Almoustapha Garba, Minister of Environment, Urban Sanitation and Sustainable Developments, visited India from 8-13 September to participate in the 14^th Session of UN Convention to Combat Desertification held from 2-13 September in New Delhi. (iv) Mr. Mohamed Boucha, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, also visited New Delhi from 9-15 September to participate in this Convention and the 2^nd International Meeting of the World Project. (v) Mr. Tidjani Idrissa Abdoulkadri, Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, accompanied by his Chef du Cabinet, visited India from 22-24 September to attend the 6^th edition of the Asian Summit on Education and Skills which was held from 23-24 September in Bengaluru. In 2022: Mr. Alhada Alkache, Minister for Commerce and Ms. Salmou Gourouza Magagi, Minister for Industry and Youth Entrepreneurship attended 17^th CII-Africa Conclave held in New Delhi in 2022. In June 2023: (i) Mr. Seydou Asma Goga, current Minister for Commerce and Industries attended 18 CII- Africa Business Conclave in New Delhi Director General of Le Riz du Niger. In 2024: (i) Mr. Seydou Asma Goga, Minister for Commerce and Industries visited India to attended 19^th CII- Africa Business Conclave in New Delhi from 20-22 August 2024.

(ii) Minister of Energy H.E. Professor (Ms.) Amadou Haoua attended the 7^th General Assembly of ISA held in New Delhi on 4^th November and supported the candidature of Mr. Ashish Khanna for the post of DG, ISA for the period of 2025-2029. (iii) Minister of Hydraulics, Sanitation and Environment HE Colonel Maizama Abdoulaye from 30 Nov. to 7 Dec. 2024 (iv) Minister of Petroleum Dr. Oumarou Sahabi from 30 Nov. to 7 Dec. 2024. The purpose of the visit of Ministers was to meet a few corporate leaders and do field visits for exploring and identification of machinery, material and technical expertise in connection with setting up of a new refinery in Niger.

Visits from India

3. Bilateral visits at the level of HOS/HOG are yet to take place. However, the following important visits have taken place from India to Niger in the past few years: In 2015 (i) Shri GM Siddeshwara, MoS for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, visited Niger as the Special Envoy of PM, to deliver the invitations for the 3^rd India-Africa Forum Summit and called on the President Issoufou Mahamadou and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2016 (i) Shri Amarendra Khatua, Dean (FSI).

In 2020 (i) Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister (EAM) visited Niamey in 20-21 January. This was the first visit of EAM. He called on President Issoufou Mahamadou and Prime Minister Brigi Rafini, met Foreign Minister Kalla Ankourao and two Agreements (i) Protocol on Consultations; and (ii) Establishment of Joint Commission were signed. On 21 January 2020, Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre (MGICC) was jointly inaugurated by the EAM and Niger President.

Institutional Dialogues

4. Following MoUs have been signed between India-Niger:

A MoU between Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), New Delhi, and the Promotion of Initiatives for Development Association (APIDB), Niamey, was signed in 2011;
MoU between Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Nigerien Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts, in Niamey was signed in 2012;
Niger signed the Letter of Intent in April 2017 for inclusion in India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme and to avail its benefits which are extended by Government of India to select LDCs. DFTP allows duty free quota free market access to India which includes 33 African countries, including Niger. Niger has formally joined the DFTP in July 2017;
A MoU for the establishment of Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre was signed by the Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, and Ambassador of Niger to India on 19 September, 2018, in New Delhi;
Agreement for Protocol on Consultations was signed by Dr. S. Jaishankar, EAM, and Mr. Kalla Ankourao, Niger Foreign Minister, on 21 January, 2020; and
Agreement for Establishment of Joint Commission was also signed by Dr. S. Jaishankar, EAM, and Mr. Kalla Ankourao, Niger Foreign Minister, on 21 January, 2020.

5. Three more MoUs (i) for setting up a Centre for Geo Informatics Application for Rural Development (CGARD) in Niamey; (ii) for Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture and Allied Sector; and (iii) e-Vidya Bharti and Aarogya Bharti, are under consideration.

Niger’s support to India in ISA/UN/Other International Organizations

6. Niger has been supporting India’s candidature for various posts in the international fora. In the recent past, Niger has supported Indian candidatures for the (a) Post of Director, Compliance and Facilitation, World Customs Organization; (b) Position of External Auditor of World Health Organization for the term 2020-2023; and (c) Council of ICAO for the term 2019-2022. In 2016, Niger had conveyed its unilateral support to the Indian candidature for the non-permanent seat of the United National Security Council for the term 2021-2022. Upon request from Niger, India has also supported Niger for their candidature to the Non-Permanent Seat of the UNSC for the 2020-21 term. India had also solicited the support of Government of Niger for India’s Candidatures for to be held in near future:

(a) Executive Board of United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) for the term 2025-2029-election to be held at the 43^rd Session of the General Conference of UNESCO in November 2025: (b) Comptroller & Auditor General of India’s candidature for nomination for the position in the United Nations’ Board of Auditors (UNBoA) for the term 2026-2032 (c) Re-election to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)- election to be held during the 42^nd General Assembly of ICAO Council in Montreal, Canada in September 2025; (d) Niger supported in 7^th General Assembly of ISA held in New Delhi on 4^th November the candidature of Mr. Ashish Khanna for the post of DG, ISA for the period of 2025-2029; (e) Niger conveyed that it will favourably consider India’s candidature for election as a member of the Human Rights Council (HRC) for the term 2026-2028 at the right moment.

7. Niger has ratified the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement in August 2017.

Civil Nuclear Cooperation

8. Niger is the 4^th largest producer of Uranium in the world. There has been no engagement with Niger on this issue so far.

Trade

8. India has extended Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme to Niger with effect from 27 July 2017. Bilateral trade [Source: DGFT/M(C&I)] during the last five years (in US$ millions) is as follows: -

	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24
India’s Exports to Niger	73.60	87.03	91.62	83.83	47.22
India’s Imports from Niger	0.90	4.12	15.99	119.50	139.27
Total trade	74.50	91.15	107.61	203.33	186.49

The main items being exported from India to Niger include Cotton, Pharmaceutical products, Cereals, Sugar & Sugar confectionery, articles of Iron or Steel, etc. The main items being exported from Niger to India are Lac, Gums, Resins and other Vegetable saps and extracts, Oil seeds, misc. Grains, Seeds and Fruit, Coffee, Tea & Spices etc.

Indian Investments in Niger

Some Indian companies have business dealing with Niger. Prominent among them are: Airtel, Euroworld International which constructed five-star hotel (Bravia), Contec Global has made an investment to operate on BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer) basis, a venture for issue of Passport to Niger nationals; Diamond India, a cement manufacturing company; Satguru Travels; Shivam General Trading Company is the distributor of TVS and Bajaj bikes, Mahindra Gensets and vehicles and Godrej Locks in Niger. They are part of Satguru holdings and own electronic goods shop chain in Niamey; Belvie Healthcare S.A. has a plant for mineral water; Afriplast, a PVC, RPVC pipes manufacturer.

Indian Community: There are about 250 Indian nationals residing in Niger. They are largely engaged in trading, hospitality businesses or in low scale self-employment.

Development Partnership Cooperation and Capacity Building

16. In order to strengthen bilateral trade and cooperation, India has been extending Lines of Credit (LoC) to Niger from time to time. Following is a brief account of LoCs extended to Niger:

A Line of Credit (LoC) of US$ 17 million was extended in 2005 for procurement of buses, trucks, tractors, flour mills, motor pumps, etc.
In 2008 another LoC for US$ 20 million was extended for (a) rehabilitation of 6 power stations; (b) purchase of 3 power transformers; (c) rehabilitation as well as erection of power lines between various places in Niger. Both LoCs have been utilised fully.

Status of current LOCs extended to Niger:

(i) Solar electrification of 50 villages and solar photovoltaic system of 7 MW (LOC project cost US$ 34.54 million) – completed inaugurated by Nigerien PM in November 2018). From the saving of approx. US$ 7.69 million in this LoC, Niger side have requested for additional 4 mini solar plants for electrification of 800 houses and solar electrification of 40 more villages.

LOC of US$ 10 million to EBID for Rural Electrification Projects of 50 villages through Solar Photovoltaic System in the regions of Dosso, Tillabery and Tahoua: Ongoing- On 21 August 2020, the Mission has conveyed to GoN that in view of the assurance on the security of project sites given by GoN, GoI has instructed EXIM Bank of India to go ahead with the fresh pre-qualification process to re-tender the project.
Following proposals under the US$ 500 million LOC extended to ECOWAS Bank for Investment & Development (EBID):

LOC of US$ 10.50 million for Electrification of resettlement sites under the Resettlement Action Plan of the Kandadji Dam and upgrading of the Power Distribution Network Project in the dam area;
LOC of US$ 56.70 million for Potable Water Supply Networks Extension and Upgrading Project in cities of Maradi, Dosso and Diffa;
LOC of US$ 14.60 million for Agriculture & Irrigation Project for the Resettlement Sites of the Kandadji Dam’s's Resettlement (Phase 2) Action.

India has also been providing assistance to Niger in capacity building. Following are details of assistance provided to Niger:

In 2005 India provided a relief package of basic medicines to Niger as humanitarian assistance for the food crisis.
In 2006 Indian experts visited Niger to ascertain the requirement for computerization of Niger's (a) Ministries of Foreign Affairs, (b) Mines & Energy; and (c) Dry-land Agricultural Research. Technical assistance was provided to Niger in ICT and agriculture sectors.
In 2010 a cash grant of US$ 1,00,000 was provided to Niger to help it tide over the on-going food crisis.
In 2011 a cash grant of Euro 86,452 was provided for purchase of two Television Cameras for the National Television of Niger.
In 2012 GoI supplied 100 Computers and 100 Printers (worth Rs. 67 lakhs) to Niger Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 2015 India gifted 10 Laptops (worth Rs. 12,98,120) to the Office of the Director General, Radio Broadcasting and Television of Niger (ONEP).
The Pan African e-Network Project Phase-1 (PAeNP), funded by India, was successfully completed by Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) in September 2017 in Niamey. For the execution of Phase-II, which is called e-VidyaBharthi and e-AarogyaBharthi (e-VAB), in Niamey, the Niger Government has identified 2 Universities in Niamey and Maradi, and forwarded concurrence to the proposed text of MoU. They have sought few clarifications and response on them is awaited from MEA. Niger has also expressed its interest in the Digital India Programs in the context of its own Programs for Smart Villages and development of a Technology City for possible cooperation with India.

18. India offers training to Niger in the areas of human resource development under ITEC Program and also under the decisions taken at the Indian Africa Forum Summits (IAFS). Following is a brief account of slots allocated to Niger under different Programs and utilizations thereof:

ITEC: Niger has been allotted 156 of ITEC slots.
Defence Training: Since 2018, 31 Nigerien defence personnels have participated in trainings so far.
ICCR Scholarships: ICCR has allotted 5 seats to Niger.
40 Nigerien civil servants have attended training courses in India under the India-Africa Forum Summit program.

Humanitarian assistance

19. Life-saving medicines to support the management of COVID-19 pandemic in Niger and other essential medicines worth US$ 40000 were donated to Niger as humanitarian relief. Under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, 25000 doses of Covishield were donated to Niger in March 2021.

20. Following Development cooperation and capacity building projects are under consideration:

Setting up of a Centre for Geo-Informatics Applications in Rural Development (CGARD) in Niamey as grant project at an estimated cost of Rs. 17 crores.
Establishing of a Technology Development Centre by the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC);
Training of 25 Nigerien Diplomats at Foreign Service Institute Campus at New Delhi is currently under consideration of the Ministry; and
Setting up of a Vocational Training Centres by HMT (international) in Niger.

Cultural exchange:

21(i) Nigerien cultural troupe and artisans have been participating in the annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela since 2019 held at Faridabad, Haryana.