Brief on India-Angola Relations

Relations between India and Angola, one of the major oil producers in Africa, are underpinned by a vibrant energy partnership and date back to pre-independence era of Angola. In an act of solidarity, India supported Angolan freedom struggle against the Portuguese colonial rule till the country attained independence in 1975. Since then, the Indian leadership has retained robust ties with the reigning political establishment in Angola - MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola). India established diplomatic relations with Angola in 1985.

Angola has been supportive of India´s candidature to various posts in the UN and is sympathetic towards India´s interest for membership in an expanded UNSC, J&K, and terrorism etc. Angola supported India’s election to the UNSC’s non-permanent seat for the period 2021-22.

The first high level visit from India took place in May 1986 with the visit of Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to Angola which was reciprocated by President of Angola José Eduardo dos Santos in April 1987. PM Dr. Manmohan Singh met with President Jose Santos on the sidelines of the G-8 meeting at L’Aquila, Italy on July 10, 2009.

During his visit to Johannesburg to attend the BRICS Summit in July 26, 2018, Angolan President Lourenco met Prime Minister Modi and discussed ways to enhance trade and investment between the two countries and also to deepen cooperation in sectors like Energy, agriculture and food processing and pharmaceuticals.

Angolan Minister for External Relations Joao Bernardo de Miranda visited India in May 2006. A Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations was signed during the visit. On January 30, 2017, India and Angola signed an Agreement for the establishment of the Bilateral Commission. The Cabinet Council in its meeting on June 2017 ratified the Presidential decree approving the agreement for the establishment of the creation of the Angola-India bilateral commission.

EAM Dr S.Jaishankar had a telephonic conversation with the newly appointed Foreign Minister Tete Antonio on 30 April 2020 which paved the way for holding the first ever Joint Commission Meeting between the two countries through virtual mode. EAM Dr S.Jaishankar and the Foreign Minister of Angola H.E. Mr. Téte António co-chaired the First India-Angola Joint Commission Meeting on September 07 . Both sides comprehensively reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and agreed to diversify the trade relations. Discussions included cooperation in health, pharmaceuticals, defence, agriculture, food processing, digitization & telecom. Three MoUs on health, training and visa facilitation were deemed signed during the meeting.

High level visits from Angola

Minister for Petroleum Jose Maria Botelho De Vasconcelos visited India to attend the Petrotech Conference in New Delhi (October 2010) and Foreign Minister Georges R Chikoti to attend India-LDC Ministerial Conference in New Delhi (February 2011).

In Oct 2015, Vice President of Angola, Manuel Vicente visited India to participate in the Third India Africa Summit. He was accompanied by a high level delegation comprising the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Information Technology and Communications. The Vice President had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister. Agriculture Minister had meeting with his Indian counterpart. MoS PNG along with ONGC Videsh MD called on the Vice President to discuss cooperation in the field of energy.

General Salviano de Jesus Sequeria ‘Kianda’, Secretary of State, Ministry of National Defense led a delegation to India to attend the DEFEXPO INDIA 2016 held in Goa from 28-31 March 2016.

Minister for Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland General Cândido Pereira dos Santos Van-Dúnem visited India from 3-7 May 2016. He led an inter-ministerial delegation comprising representatives from departments of health and agriculture. During the visit he had meetings with Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. (Gen) V.K. Singh, Minister for Food Processing and Secretary (EWS) in the Ministry of Defence.

Minister of Agriculture, Pedro Canga visited India from 24-30 May 2016. In his meeting with Indian Minister of Agriculture Sh. Radha Mohan Singh, the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation in agriculture. He visited the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, agriculture cooperative units as well as private entities engaged with agriculture.

Mr. Abrahão Gourgel, Minister of Economy was in India on a three day visit in June 2017. He was accompanied by a high level delegation comprising Secretaries of State, Government of Angola in the areas of Agriculture, Industry, Geology & Mining and Transport sector and the Deputy Governors of Bengo, Huambo, Huila and Zaire

Mr. Janio da Rosa Correa Victor, Secretary of State for Geology and Mines visited India from March 28-30, 2018 for discussing trading of rough diamonds.

Dr. Silvia Lutucuta, Health Minister of Angola visited India from July 5-10, 2018 and met Health Minister of India and held discussion with CII and premier hospitals.

Finance Minister Mr Archer Mangueira visited India on September 02, 2019 on a working visit and held discussions with the Exim Bank for various projects under LOCs/Buyers credit programme.

A seven member high level defence delegation led by    H.E General Afonson Carlos Neto, Secretary of State for Material Resources and Infrastructure, Republic of Angola, participated in the “Defexpo 2020” and “ India Africa Defence Ministers Meet” in Lucknow from 05-07 February 2020.

Visits from India

Shri Anand Sharma, then Minister of State for External Affairs, visited Angola in June 2007. During the visit he called on the President of Angola and had meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Petroleum and Geology and Mines, and President of Endiama, the state-owned diamond company. Minister Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce visited Angola in March 2008. Shri Murli Deora, then Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas visited Angola in January 2010.

MoS (VK) visited Luanda on 15 July 2015 as Special Envoy of PM to personally hand over invitation for the IAFS III. During the visit he called on Vice President Manuel Vicente.

MOS (MJA) visited Luanda, Angola on March 15-16, 2018 and held bilateral meeting. MOU on ICT was signed during the visit.

Energy and Economic cooperation

Energy forms the heart of the India-Angola partnership, with the Lusophone country emerging as the second largest African oil supplier to India, after Nigeria in sub-Saharan Africa. Indian oil companies have been upbeat about investing in the energy sector in Angola, with delegations from ONGC Videsh Ltd., Reliance Industry Limited, HPCL Mumbai, Engineers India Ltd. and Mittal Investments UK Limited visiting Luanda to explore cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Engineers India was involved in the construction of the Lobito oil refinery.

In Sept 2015, MD, ONGC Videsh visited Angola and had discussions with Sonangol for participation in oil exploration in Angola and proposed signing of MOU.

India and Angola signed a MoU on cooperation in the oil and gas sector in October 2010 in New Delhi.

As a goodwill gesture, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India gifted 5 ambulances manufactured by M/s Mahindra & Mahindra to the Government of Angola in December 2005.

Foreign Minister of Angola H.E. Mr. Tete Antonio and Ambassador of India Mrs. Pratibha Parkar participated in the 1st collaborative business event jointly organised by Angola-India Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Agency of Private Investment, Promotion and Exporters(AIPEX) on September 03, 2020. The digital session focussed on 'Business Opportunities between India and Angola' with H.E. Mr. Tete Antonio, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola delivering his keynote address

Trade

India´s imports from Angola registered considerable growth from US$ 4242.79 million (2009-2010) to US$ 7157 million (2012-13). However, in 2015-2016, it declined to US $ 2767 million owing to decline in oil prices. In 2017-18 it has increased to US$ 4324 million. On the other hand, India`s exports to Angola decreased from US$ 675 million (2010-2011) to US$ 155 million (2016-17) mainly due to general import curbs arising from the forex problem. In 2017-18 it increased to US$ 235 million.

India is the 3^rd largest trading partner sharing about 10% of Angola´s external trade mainly on account of bulk crude oil purchase. India’s corporate sector looks at Angola as a land of opportunity. There have been visit by a number of private business delegations, including those organized by CII in November 2013 and FICCI in May 2014, to Angola.

In the non-oil sector, a number of projects are being undertaken by Indian companies in retail, hospitality, agriculture plastics, scrap metal, steel, trading, and other services. Investments by Indian businessmen in Angola are in the range of $1.5-2 billion in sectors such as plastics, metal, steel, garments and real estate.

Foreign Minister of Angola H.E. Mr. Tete Antonio delivered a key note address in the first collaborative business event namely 'Business Opportunities between India and Angola’ jointly organised by Angola-India Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Agency of Private Investment, Promotion and Exporters(AIPEX).

15^th CII-Exim Bank Digital Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership was held in virtual format from 22-24 September 2020. Mr. António Fernandes Rodrigues Belsa da Costa, Secretary of State of Energy of Angola and Mr. Ivan Magalhaes do Prado, Secretary of State of Industry, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Angola delivered their valuable remarks during the said Conclave.

The Embassy of India in cooperation with the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India (GJEPC) and Angola India Chamber of Commerce jointly organised the India Global Connect on 3^rd December, 2020 witnessing  participation from delegates from Angolan government diamond companies Endiama and  Sodiam, and prominent private players  from India.

India’s Imports/Exports From/To Angola

      (US$ Millions)

Development Partnership

Govt of India has offered the Angolan side a Line of Credit of US$ 100 million in May 2021 for defense procurement such as naval boat, interceptor crafts and construction of slipways & Naval vessels.

Government of India, has through Exim Bank, extended three Lines of Credit (LOC) of value aggregating US$ 85 million - US$ 40 million for financing Railway Rehabilitation in Angola; US$ 30 million for setting up of an Industrial Park in Angola; and US$ 15 million for setting up of a Textile Project in Angola.

Besides the above, Exim Bank on its own (without GoI support) has extended three commercial LOCs of value aggregating US$ 28 million. These LOCs have since been utilized by Angola. The last LOC extended by EXIM Bank to Angola was in June 2012 for US$ 23 million for supply of tractors, implements and related spares.

The first GOI LOC of US$ 40 million for Railway Rehabilitation and implemented by RITES has been utilized while the remaining two LOCs are under the process of being utilized (currently stalled).

Angola has shown interest to join the e-VidyaBharati and e-AarogyaBharati (E-VBAB) Network Project.

ICCR/ITEC

ICCR has approved thirty scholarship for the current financial year i.e 2021-22. Under ITEC 12 slots were allocated in 2019-20 whereas 34 ICCR slots were sanctioned to Angola in 2020-21. Six officials from the Angolan government participated in the Special PCFD course in FSI from May 06-18, 2019.

IAFS Process:

India had offered to set up a Food Processing Business Incubation Centre in Angola under IAFS-II decision in 2011.

Indian Community & Investments:

Indian community in Angola is around 3500 persons, mainly in business professionals in offshore oil fields, engaged in catering, supermarkets, trading and other services; in industries dealing in plastics, metal, steel, garments, etc; Angola LNG project in Soyo Province and a cement plant in Sumbe, constructed by ETA Star Group. Of late, due to the declining foreign exchange reserves, the local authorities have imposed restrictions on the repatriation of dollars/foreign currency which has become another constraining factor for Indian businesses.

July 2021

Useful resources

Mission’s website: https://www.indembangola.gov.in/

Twitter: @IndiainAngola

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indiainangola2019/?modal=admin_todo_tour

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