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India-Tanzania Trade Hits USD 9.02 Billion in FY26, New Sectors Explored

India-Tanzania bilateral trade rose to USD 9.02 billion in FY26, reflecting steady growth. The 5th Joint Trade Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam explored cooperation in local currency trade, digital infrastructure, and pharma. India highlighted over USD 1.1 billion in Lines of Credit for Tanzanian water projects. Both nations committed to deeper ties across mining, agriculture, education, and renewable energy.

Key Points: India-Tanzania Trade Reaches USD 9.02 Billion in FY26

  • Bilateral trade reached USD 9.02 billion in FY26, up from USD 8.64 billion
  • Talks held on local currency trade settlement and long-term business visas
  • Focus areas include mining, pharma, digital cooperation, and renewable energy
  • India's development aid exceeds USD 1.1 billion for water projects in Tanzania
2 min read

India-Tanzania trade rises to USD 9.02 bn in FY26; focus on wider cooperation across sectors

India-Tanzania bilateral trade rose to USD 9.02 billion in FY26. Key talks focused on local currency trade, visas, pharma, digital cooperation, and more.

"A comprehensive review of bilateral merchandise trade reflected steady and consistent growth since the 4th JTC - Ministry of Commerce & Industry"

Dar es Salaam, May 1

India and Tanzania have reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral trade and economic ties, with trade between the two countries reaching USD 9.02 billion in 2025-26, up from USD 8.64 billion in the previous fiscal, according to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

The announcement came during the 5th Session of the India-Tanzania Joint Trade Committee (JTC) held on April 29-30 in Dar es Salaam, where both sides reviewed progress and explored new areas of cooperation.

According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, "a comprehensive review of bilateral merchandise trade reflected steady and consistent growth since the 4th JTC," highlighting the upward trajectory in economic engagement between the two countries.

The meeting was co-chaired by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Tanzania's Permanent Secretary Amb Dr Samwel William Shelukindo.

Both countries discussed a wide range of sectors to boost cooperation, including "trade settlement in local currencies, facilitation of long-term business visas for Indian businesspersons, strengthening regulatory collaboration in pharmaceuticals and capacity building in areas of health, AYUSH, education and shipbuilding." The ministry noted that discussions were held in a "friendly and positive atmosphere, reflecting the strong and close relations between India and Tanzania."

Key focus areas included mining, gemstone value addition, agriculture, healthcare, and digital cooperation. The ministry said developments in digital collaboration were reviewed "with a focus on digital public infrastructure, including India Stack," along with opportunities in real-time payments and digital services.

In education and skills development, both sides highlighted the role of IIT Madras Zanzibar as a regional hub and stressed the need for stronger institutional partnerships. Collaboration in MSMEs, vocational training, and innovation was also identified as a priority.

India also underscored its development cooperation efforts, noting that Lines of Credit "exceeding USD 1.1 billion for water infrastructure projects in Tanzania... are expected to benefit over 6 million people across 24 towns."

Further discussions covered cooperation in renewable energy, railways, shipbuilding, and agriculture, with both sides exploring opportunities in agro-processing, micro-irrigation, and livestock development.

The ministry said the meeting concluded with a "reaffirmation of the shared commitment to deepening bilateral trade and economic relations," while emphasising faster implementation of ongoing initiatives and expanding cooperation across sectors.

The next session of the India-Tanzania Joint Trade Committee will be held in New Delhi on mutually convenient dates.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The $1.1 billion for water projects is huge! 6 million people across 24 towns will benefit. But I hope we also focus on helping them develop their own manufacturing instead of just selling them stuff. Real partnership, not just trade.
M
Michael C
Interesting to see India Stack being discussed. Digital public infrastructure is something India has done well. Tanzania could learn a lot from UPI and Aadhaar. But we need to ensure data sovereignty for partner countries isn't compromised.
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Vikram M
IIT Madras Zanzibar as a regional hub - that's the kind of soft power we need more of. Education and skills development will create lasting bonds. Also good to see AYUSH getting mentioned - our traditional medicine systems have so much to offer Africa.
E
Emma D
While the numbers look good, USD 9.02 billion is still modest compared to our trade with larger economies. We need to push harder on value-added exports like pharmaceuticals and machinery rather than just raw materials. The visa facilitation for businesspersons is a practical step in the right direction though.
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Nisha Z
My cousin runs a small pharma export business and he says Tanzania is one of the easiest African markets to work with. But he also says many Indian businesses still face red tape there. Hope the JTC actually follows through on simplifying procedures, not just talks. Papers mein sab acha lagta hai, ground reality different hoti hai.

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