As on 06 March, 2020
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.
India established diplomatic relations with Angola in 1985.
Angola has been supportive of India´s candidature to various posts in the UN and
has shown understanding on India´s position on UNSC reforms.
Important Visits/Bilateral meetings:
● Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Angola in May 1986. This was the
the first high level visit from India.
● President of Angola José Eduardo dos Santos visited India 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.
● On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit held in Johansberg in July 2018,
Angolan President Joao Lourenco met Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
● Angolan Minister for External Relations Joao Bernardo de Miranda visited
India in May 2006. During the visit a Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations
was signed. On January 30, 2017, India and Angola signed an Agreement for the
establishment of the Bilateral Commission. Ambassador S.K. Singhal had signed
the MOU from Indian side whereas Ms. Angela Braganca, Secretary of State for
Cooperation, Ministry of External Relations, signed on behalf of the Government
of Angola(Confirmation from the Mission is attached).
● 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.
● 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
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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.
● Mr. Abrahao Gourgel, Minister of Economy was in India on a three day visit in
June 2017.
● 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.
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.
● 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.
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.
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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.
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 3rd 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
$1.5-2 billion in sectors such as plastics, metal, steel, garments and real estate.
India’s Imports/Exports From/To Angola
(US$ Millions)
2016- 2017- 2018-19
2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 17 18
Import 5992 4617 2767 2596 4324 4027
Export 536 552 223 155 235 282.36
Total 6528 5169 2990 2751 4559 4309.36
Development Partnership
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 Buyer’s credit projects financed by EXIM Bank are:
i) A commercial LoC of US$ 10 million for financing export of 599 tractors
to Angola. (June 2005)
ii) US$ 5 millions for imports of goods and services from Kirloskar brothers
pump-sets and accessories. (June 2003)
Iii) US$ 13 million for financing and supply of tractors. (April,2008)
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The first GOI LOC of US$ 40 million for Railway Rehabilitation and implemented
by RITES has been utilized.
Angola has decided to join the e-VidyaBharati and e-AarogyaBharati (E-VBAB)
Network Project.
ICCR/ITEC
Under ITEC 12 slots were allocated in 2019-19 and 30 ICCR slots have been
offered to Angola in 2019-20. Six officials from the Angolan government
participated in the Special PCFD course in FSI from May 06-18, 2019.
Indian Community & Investments:
Indian community in Angola is around 2500 persons, mainly in business and
professionals in offshore oil fields. Earlier, a couple of years before, the number
was nearly 5,000 with most 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. There are a large number of people of Indian-origin in Angola holding
passports of different nationalities. They are estimated to be about 4000, most of
them engaged in trading and construction business. Investments by Indian
businessmen in Angola are basically discouraged by factors such as language
barrier, distance, typical business ethics, and complicated procedures pertaining to
business visas and issue of Work Permits. 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.
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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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