This article covers cooperation between India and Brunei Darussalam (Brunei) in trade, defence, space, health and capacity building. The brief has too little trade material for a separate article, so trade is covered here alongside the other sectors. It is based on the MEA brief of July 2026, and figures are as given in that brief.

Trade

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, bilateral trade between India and Brunei was USD 365 million in 2025-26. The brief states that there is vast potential for economic cooperation, and it lists energy and space among the domains in which the two countries cooperate.

The two countries have a Joint Trade Committee (JTC), set up under an MoU on the establishment of Joint Trade Committee Meetings. The 1st meeting of the JTC was held in Brunei in September 2018, and the 2nd meeting took place in March 2022 in virtual format. As of the brief, the third JTC meeting was proposed to be held in person in New Delhi in 2026.

Indian business establishments in Brunei are organised through the Indian Chamber of Commerce, described in the culture and community article of this guide.

Defence cooperation

The brief states that defence relations between the two countries have been expanding. An MoU for implementation of defence cooperation was signed in 2016 and renewed in 2021 for a further period of five years. The first meeting of the defence JWG was held in New Delhi in December 2025, where terms of reference of the JWG were signed. Cooperation takes the form of regular official-level defence exchanges, visits of naval and coast guard ships, training and joint exercises, and participation in each other's defence exhibitions and expositions.

Ship visits

Indian naval and coast guard ships that have visited Brunei, as listed in the brief, include:

  • Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS "SAGAR" in March 2014, and INS Shakti in August 2014
  • INS-Airavat in May 2016, and INS Satpura in November 2017
  • Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS 'Shaunak' in January 2019
  • INS Jalashwa in May 2021, to ferry to India Covid relief donated by the Indian diaspora
  • INS Shivalik and INS Kadmatt at Muara Port in August 2021, for a Passex with Brunei
  • ICG pollution control ship Samudra Paheredar at Muara Port from 09-12 April 2024, for joint training and interaction with the Marine Police
  • INS Kiltan from 25-28 May 2024

In the other direction, the Bruneian ship 'KDB Darulaman' took part in MILAN 2012 (Andaman), and the Royal Brunei Navy's ship 'KP 80 DARU TTAQWA' visited Mumbai in August 2014.

Space cooperation

A bilateral agreement was signed in August 1997 for setting up ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) Station in Brunei. The station was established in the year 2000 and has been functioning since. The MoU was signed in July 2018 and renewed again in September 2024.

Health

The 1st JWG between India and Brunei on Health was held virtually on 23 June 2021. The two sides discussed cooperation in pharmaceuticals, capacity building and training, and HR related issues, and agreed to renew the bilateral MoU on Health for a further period of 3 years.

Capacity building

Two ITEC slots are allotted to Brunei each year. According to the brief, 76 Brunei nationals have attended ITEC courses in India over the years, and 29 in virtual format.

  • In 2019, two candidates attended a 3 month course on Design of Nano Satellite at ISRO from October to December, and two attended the 13th Special Course for Diplomats from ASEAN countries in November.
  • In October 2020, 14 officials of Brunei's Ministry of Development attended a 3-day online course on housing-related topics conducted by the Housing Settlement Management Institute under the e-ITEC programme, the first such online course with Brunei.
  • In 2021-22 and 2022-23, twelve Brunei officials attended e-ITEC programmes.