India and Rwanda held the inaugural session of the India–Rwanda Joint Trade Committee (JTC) in New Delhi on July 30-31, establishing a permanent institutional mechanism to strengthen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.
The Indian delegation was led by Amit Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, while the Rwandan side was headed by Virgile Rwanyagatare, Director General, Asia, Pacific and Middle East Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
In his inaugural address, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Yashvir Singh, said the first JTC session establishes a structured and periodic apex mechanism to review bilateral commerce, diversify the trade basket, expand two-way investment and address logistical bottlenecks.
The two sides reviewed the current state of bilateral trade in goods and services. India’s major exports to Rwanda include drug formulations and biologicals, two- and three-wheelers, industrial and electrical machinery, oil meals, and iron and steel products. Rwanda’s exports to India comprise lead, spices, essential oils, copper, precious and semi-precious stones, processed agricultural products and minerals.
Both countries agreed to diversify the bilateral trade basket, facilitate greater business-to-business engagement and address market access issues.
India highlighted opportunities to expand exports of heavy engineering goods, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, refined petroleum products, textiles, marine products, plastics, sports goods and toys, gems and jewellery, and scientific instruments. Officials noted that India remains Rwanda’s largest supplier of pharmaceutical imports, accounting for around 24.5 per cent of the country’s total pharmaceutical imports.
Rwanda identified chillies, macadamia, French beans, avocados, essential oils, tea, coffee, horticultural products, minerals and precious stones as priority export items for the Indian market. The two sides also discussed cooperation on harmonising standards, including capacity-building initiatives between the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Rwanda Standards Board.
On investment, Rwanda noted that India was its second-largest foreign investor as of 2025 and highlighted opportunities in mining, agro-processing, affordable housing, information and communication technology, manufacturing, healthcare, tourism and financial services.
Both countries designated Invest India and the Rwanda Development Board as investment focal points under the JTC framework and agreed to exchange calendars of trade fairs, business forums and buyer-seller meets. Rwanda also highlighted its strategic position as a gateway to the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), offering Indian businesses access to a wider regional market.
The meeting identified several priority areas for future cooperation, including critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture and agro-processing, textiles and leather, green mobility, digital public infrastructure, fintech, cybersecurity and renewable energy.
In the critical minerals sector, India expressed interest in strengthening collaboration on Rwanda’s tin, tungsten and tantalum resources, including institutional cooperation between the Geological Survey of India and the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board.
