India - Chad Relations

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India - Chad Relations

A. Political Relations

1. 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 2011 with many bilateral Visits &High-level interactions.

2. Former Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno had a meeting with Hon’ble PM of India on the sidelines of Second India Africa Forum Summit in Addis Ababa in May 2011. Chad Foreign Minister Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat visited India in August 2013 and held discussions with both EAM and MOS(PK). Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno visited New Delhi, India for the India-Africa Summit-III from October 26-30, 2015.   Apart from Summit level meeting, President Deby called on Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.

3. Chadian Minister of Economy, Planning and Development Mr. NguetoTirainaYambaye accompanied by three senior officials visited India to attend African Development Bank (AfDB) meeting held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 22-26 May 2017. Chadian Minister of Culture, Mahamat Saleh Haroun, who is also a film maker visited Kerala to attend the 22nd International Film Festival of Kerala (IIFK) held in Thiruvananthapuram from 8-15 December 2017.

4. The relations assumed a boost in the recent times with the visit of the Prime Minister of Chad H.E. Mr. PahimiPadacke Albert to India in March 2018 to attend the Founding Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Solar Summit in New Delhi on 11 March 2018. Prime Minister of Chad held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of India on the sidelines of ISA.

5. 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.

B. Commercial &Trade Relations :

6. During past few years India’s direct bilateral trade with Chad has surged from small base, but yet remains below the potential. During the period of 2018-19, the bilateral trade with Chad was US $ 513.59 million. The increase in the import of Crude Oil from Chad is the main reason for the significant increase in the bilateral trade during this period. During the period of 2019-20, the bilateral trade with Chad reached USD 329.44 million, a growth decline of 35.86%, with our exports growing by 56.67 % to reach USD 58.69 million, and our imports decreasing by 43.14 %, to reach USD 270.75 million. In the first five months of the Current Financial Year (CFY) 2021-22, our total trade declined by 84.38 % compared to year 2020-21, with our exports decreasing by 73.11 % and our imports decreasing by 97.72 %. Though Bilateral trade during the period January to August 2021 decreased, Indian exports grew by 6% to touch USD 19 million. Bilateral trade figures for the last 6-years are given below.

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

Source: DGCIS India

C. Indian Companies in Chad :

8. Indian economic presence in Chad received a big boost through Airtel’s US$1 billion acquisition of Zain Telecom, Chad’s biggest network, in June 2010. Airtel has committed to spend additional US$100 million to expand its network in Chad and improve its quality. There is considerable untapped potential for bilateral co-operation in hydrocarbons, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors.

9. 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.

10. Bharat Heavy Industries have supplied 331 Km of pipes for the oil refinery project. A delegation from BHEL visited Chad in August 2018 to explore project exports.

D. Bilateral Indian Grants/Line of Credit : The Republic of Chad has been a recipient of many of our assistance programmes. details are as under:

11. GoI donated 5,000 metric tonnes of rice to Chad in 2004.

12. EXIM Bank, India has extended three Lines of Credit [LoC] under Government of India (GoI) - supported LoC to Republic of Chad.

13. LoC of USD 50 million: EXIM Bank has extended a GoI- LoC of USD 50 million to Government of Chad for financing a Cotton yarn plant, a bicycle plant, an Industrial transport equipment and rolling plant mill, Agro-processing plants for Tomato & Mango and Irrigation equipment in Chad. The LoC Agreement was signed on August 29, 2005 and made effective on September 27, 2005. The LoC has since been fully disbursed and projects completed.

14. LoC of USD 15.9 million: EXIM Bank has extended a GoI- LoC of USD 15.9 million to Government of Chad for financing ‘Extension of spinning mill’ [addition of weaving and processing capacities]. The contract for this LoC project was awarded in May 2014. So far USD 15.19 has been disbursed to the project. The project had been inaugurated in November 2020.

15.LoC of USD 27.45 million: Subsequent to the ISA Founding Conference in March 2018, Government of India offered a Line of Credit of USD 27.45 million for Establishment of Solar PV Module Manufacturing Plant at N’djamena.

16.COVID-19 : During the Covid-19 pandemic, India donated a 6 tonne-consignment of essential medicines, including HCQS and antibiotics, to the Republic of Chad in July 2020.

17.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 been done in Chad and a TCIL expert has been deployed in Ndjamena.

F. ITEC/e-ITEC:

18. Chad has availed 19 out of the 20 civilian short term training programmes offered under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) for the year 2018-19. For the first time in 2018-19, 15 Chadian Public Servants got trained in India under a Special ITEC Course on English Language Proficiency at EFLU, Hyderabad. In addition, 9 Chadians have availed other short term training programmes offered under the decisions taken during the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III). In addition, 8 scholarships are offered every year to Chadian students to pursue their undergraduate and PG studies in various Indian Universities under ICCR Scholarship Scheme. Also in the year 2018-19, a Chadian diplomat has attended the Professional Course for the Foreign Diplomats in the Foreign Service Institute, New Delhi. During 2017-18, Chad utilized 18 slots under the IAFS-III training programmes, 2 slots under ITEC, 4 ICCR scholarships, and one slot under the PCFD of FSI. In 2021-22, Chad utilized 8 slots under the ICCR Scholarship.  In 2021-22 Session, two Chadian nationals are selected for year-long Hindi classes at Central Institute of Hindi in Agra.

19. Chadian Armed Forces recently have started to attend training/courses in defence institutions in India under the ITEC program. Focus of the training is in specialist areas like counter terrorism and counter insurgency.

G. Indian Community & Culture :

20. There are about 200 Indians and 43 Indian companies in Chad working mostly in oil projects, international organisations, missionaries. Many are engaged in trade in Chad. Chadian nationals are regularly attending year-long Hindi classes at Central Institute of Hindi in Agra. Chadians trained in Hindi language formed ‘Yarana Association’, which is promoting Hindi language and Indian culture through celebration of Indian festivals. Chadian nationals’ interest in Indian culture is sign of growing people-to-people contacts.

21. On August 26, 2013, MrBadouiTidjani, a N’djamena based Chadian petroleum Engineer was appointed as India’s new Honorary Consul in Chad.

October 2022