Embassy of India

Brazzaville, Republic of Congo

Brief on India–Republic of Congo Relations

India-Republic of Congo Relations:

India and the Republic of Congo [ROC] enjoy warm and friendly relations dating back to pre-independence era of the ROC. ROC has supported India’s candidature at various International forums. India has opened a diplomatic Mission in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in November 2019.

Bilateral Visits

From RoC to India

• October 2005: Mr. RodolpheAdada, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Commerce visited India.
• February-March 2007: Maj. Gen Jacques YvonNdolou, Defense Minister of Republic of Congo visited India at the invitation of RakshaMantri.
• July 2007: Mr. Emile Ouosso, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation visited India at the invitation of Railway Minister. at the invitation of the Railway Minister. In his capacity as Chairman of the African Transport Ministers Group [53 countries], he mooted a proposal for holding a summit of African Transport Ministers in India
• March 2010: Mr. BasileIkouebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Congo visited India.
• 27-29 March, 2011 : Minister in the Presidency, incharge of Special Economic Zone, Mr. Alain AkoualaAtipault visited India from to participate in the 7th CIIEXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership held in New Delhi
• 2012: Ms. Claudine Munari, Minister of Trade of Republic of Congo visited India to attend 8th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave in New Delhi.
• 2013: Ms. Claudine Munari, Minister of Trade and Mr. Anatole C. Makosso, Minister of Youth Affairs and Head of the African Union Commission for Youth Affaris visited India to attend 9th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave in New Delhi.
• March 2014: Minister of Industrial Development and Private Sector Promotion Mr. MvoubaIsidore let RoC delegation visited India to attend 10th CII-CXIM Bank Conclave in New Delhi.

From India to RoC.

• July 2015: Shri Manoj Sinha, MoS Railways visited Brazzaville as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to hand over invitation to Mr. Denis SassouN’guesson, President of Republic of Congo for 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi.
• March 2017: Shri M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs visited Brazzaville on first bilateral visit by any Indian Minister to RoC. MoS called on President of Republic of Congo and met Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Congolese Abroad.

Agreements/MOUs: A Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations was signed between the two countries, on 17 March, 2010. The first Consultations were held in Brazzaville on 21 January, 2011. Bilateral cooperation was reviewed and the two sides agreed to accelerate mutually beneficial bilateral investment and trade relationship. Views of the Congolese side are awaited  on(i) MoU on exemption from Visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and official passports; (ii) MoU between Foreign Service Institutes of two countries; (iii) MoU on Bilateral Investment Treaty; (iv) MoU on Cultural Exchange Program, (v) MoU on Establishment of Joint Commission and (v) MoU on e-VidyaBharati e-AarogyaBharati (e-VBAB) network project.

India’s Economic assistance to ROC: Following Lines of Credit have been accorded to ROC: (i) US$ 70 million LOC for the Rural Electrification Project ; (ii) LOC of US$ 89.9 million for the Development of an Urban Transportation System, in the capital city of Brazzaville and in Pointe Noire; (iii) LOC of US$ 55 million for a Greenfield 600 tpd rotary kiln based Cement Plant Project. All the above three projects are currently under execution.

Grant/Assistance: (i) GOI donated medicines worth US$ 2,00,000 in 2010 to the Government of ROC; (ii) GOI donated US$ 500,000 as humanitarian assistance to ROC, in March 2012, in the aftermath of the ordnance depot blast, which claimed many lives; (iii) Tele-education, telemedicine and VVIP connectivity node have been set up in Brazzaville under the Pan African e-Network Project; (iv) GOI donated US $ 100,000  as humanitarian assistance for flood relief to the ROC in March, 2020; (v) GOI donated more than 6 tonnes of medical aid  to ROC in June 2020 to fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Offers under India Africa Forum Summits: Under the IAFS-II, ROC has been offered several projects, namely (a) a Rural Technology Park (RTP); (b) a Food Testing Laboratory (FTL); (c) An Agricultural Seed Production-cum-Demonstration Centre (ASPDC); and (iv) a Centre for English Language Training [CELT]. While ROC has welcomed the offers; formal responses are awaited

Capacity Building Programme:  ITEC Programme: 38 slots were utilized during 2010-17; all 10 slots allotted during 2016-17 were utilized; Out of the 10 slots allotted for 2019-20, only 1 slot was utilized. Separately, under the AIFS-II Training Programme, 6 Congolese Government officials availed training during 2012-13, 2 during 2013-14 and nil during 2019-20.

Trade between India &RoC from April to November 2019: Bilateral trade stood at USD 700 million during FY 2019-20: export being USD 113 million and import USD 587 million. The main items of export were pharmaceutical products, inorganic chemicals, organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, vehicles and parts thereof, optical photographic cinematographic measuring, checking precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances while imports were Copper & articles thereof, mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation, bituminous substances, mineral waxes, natural or cultured pearls, precious or semiprecious stones, pre metals, iron and steel.  Bilateral trade figures (in USD millions) over the last six years and current financial year 2020-21 (April-Feb) are given below:

Bharti Airtel acquired Zain Communications Network, thereby telecom operations in Republic of Congo in 2010. In 2014, M/s. Ashok Leyland signed a contract for supply of 200 buses to Government of ROC.

Indian Diaspora

There are approximately 800 Indians based in Republic of Congo, engaged mainly in trade and service sector including supermarket chains, electronic stores, tour and travels, restaurants, trading, etc.

The Indian community in capital city Brazzaville and port city Pointe Noire donated edible items including rice, wheat flour, cooking oil, sugar and cereals worth US$100,000 to local authorities in May, 2020 to support vulnerable families affected from pandemic COVID-19.

Embassy in association with the Association of Indians in ROC organised a chartered flight on 10 July, 2020 from Brazzaville to Mumbai under the Vande Bharat Mission of GOI to evacuate 145 stranded Indian nationals to India.

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May 19,2021