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Bilateral Relations  

India-Burundi Relations

High Commission of India, Kampala

(Concurrently accredited as Embassy of India to Burundi)


 

India-Burundi Bilateral Relations

Political Relations

India and Burundi enjoy cordial and friendly relations. The opening of Burundi’s resident
mission in New Delhi in 2009 and progressive interactions between political leaderships
of the two countries have lent importance and direction to the relationship.

Bilateral Institutional Mechanisms: The first ever Foreign Office Consultations between India and Burundi were held in October 2017 in New Delhi where issues of bilateral, regional and global importance were discussed.

Ministerial Visits from India

  • MoS for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Shri Arun Yadav, visited Burundi in May, 2011 as a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister for inviting the President of Burundi to the second India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-II).

  • A delegation led by MoS for External Affairs, Smt. Preneet Kaur visited Burundi in February, 2012. A multi-sectoral CII business delegation also accompanied the Minister. A General Cooperation Agreement was signed by the two sides during the visit.

  • MoS for Rural Development Shri Sudarshan Bhagat visited Burundi in July 2015 as PM’s Special Envoy to extend an invitation to the President and the Foreign Minister for IAFS-III.

 

High-Level Visits from Burundi

  • President Pierre Nkurunziza paid a state visit to India in September 2012.

  • Second Vice President Mr. Gervais Rufyikiri led a business delegation to the 9th CII

    Exim Bank Conclave to New Delhi in March 2013.

  • First Vice President of Burundi Gaston Sindimwo led Burundian delegation to India to attend IAFS-III in October 2015. He was accompanied by the Foreign Minister.

  • Major General Ndayishimiye Evariste, Secretary General of the ruling party of Burundi, CNDD-FDD visited India in March 2018 to attend 13th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave.

  • Ms. Evelyne Butoyi, Minister of Youth, Posts and ICT, Burundi led a delegation from Burundi to attend India Telecom 2019 held at New Delhi in February 2019.

  • Dr. D. Ndihokubwayo, Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Development Cooperation visited India for signing of LOC agreement on 02 July 2019 between Govt. of Burundi and EXIM Bank for construction of the new Parliament Building in Gitega and two Ministerial buildings in Bujumbura.

  • Mr. Come Manirakiza, Minister of Hydralics, Energy represented Burundi in 2nd General Assembly of ISA held in October 2019 in New Delhi.

 

Bilateral Trade

India’s exports to Burundi comprise pharmaceuticals and chemicals, machinery and instruments, plastic and linoleum products, transport equipment and rubber manufactured products. Main items that India imports from Burundi include non-electrical machinery, iron and steel. During the last few years, Indian companies have invested in coffee plantation, manufacture of synthetic water tanks, distilleries, computer hardware, hardware stores and paints. Bajaj and TVS have local dealers in Burundi for sale of two-wheeler motorcycles and three-wheeler auto-rickshaws. Their products are well received in Burundi.

S.No.

Year

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

2020-2021

2021-2022

1

EXPORT

38.09

48.35

58.47

64.02

60.51

2

%Growth

 

26.95

20.92

9.50

-5.49

3

%Share of India’s Export

0.01

0.01

0.02

0.02

0.01

4

IMPORT

16.53

4.55

3.83

0.07

0.04

5

%Growth

 

-72.47

-15.92

-98.18

-42.30

6

%Share

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

7

TOTAL TRADE

54.62

52.90

62.29

64.09

60.55

8

%Growth

 

-3.14

17.75

2.89

-5.53

9

%Share of India’s import

0.01

0.01

0.01

0.01

0.01

10

TRADE BALANCE

21.56

43.80

54.64

63.95

60.47

 

Bilateral Development Cooperation & Assistance

  • India has offered two Lines of Credit worth USD 161.36 Million to Burundi, i) for

    construction of a new Parliament building and ii) two Ministerial Buildings. LOC agreements were signed on 2nd July 2019 between EXIM Bank of India and Burundian side.

  • Following the first India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-I) in 2008, Burundi was nominated by the AU to host the India-Africa Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (IAIEPA), one of the 5 institutes offered by India at the Pan-Africa level The institute is mandated to strengthen the capacities in the region in the sector of education.

  • Under IAFS-I, India offered eight Vocational Training Centres (VTCs); one each to the eight RECs. Burundi was nominated as one of the countries to host the VTC. The centre was inaugurated in December 2016. It imparts vocational training to people from the region to enable them to be gainfully employed or become entrepreneurs.

  • A project to build and equip a centre for HIV/AIDS prevention, testing and treatment was completed in December 2012. The Centre provides various health-care services, covering reproductive health, sexually transmitted diseases, prenatal care and family planning.

  • At the second India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-II) in Government of India

    announced 40 biomass gasifier systems, out of which a cluster bio-mass gasifier system is to be established in Burundi. These are expected to provide low cost sustainable electricity in villages by powering a gas engine.

  • At IAFS-II, India also offered, among other things, eight Farm Science Centres (FSCs). FSC is an innovative institution of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) which has played a pivotal role in application of technology at farm levels in India since 1974. Burundi has been selected by the East African Community for hosting one such FSC.

  • In addition to the above institutions, a tele-medicine centre and a tele-education centre were set up in Bujumbura in 2010 under the first phase of Pan-African E- Network Project. The project aims to provide quality and real-time medical care and education from India at a fraction of cost.

  • Government of India has extended a Line of Credit of US$ 80 million for the 20MW Kabu hydro-electric project. In this regard, an agreement between the EXIM Bank of India and the Government of Burundi was signed in May, 2011. The project is expected to be completed by 2022.

  • India gifted medicines worth US $ 1.1 million to Burundi in September 2019.

  • Gift of 100,000 NCERT text books was handed over to the Education Ministry of Burundi in March 2020.

 

Indian diaspora

Estimated no. of PIOs and NRIs in Burundi are 1200. Most of NRIs/PIOs are traders and businessmen and engineers/workers at the Kabu Hydro-electricity project. Their positive role in the country’s economy is recognized and appreciated both by the Government of Burundi and its citizens. Government’s attitude towards Indian diaspora is positive and friendly. During the political crisis in 2015 in Burundi, the Burundian Government ensured that no harm came to any of our citizens/ PIOs resident there.

 

November 2022

 
 
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