This article covers India's training programmes for Libyan officials, educational and cultural exchanges between the two countries, and the Indian community in Libya. The information comes from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026.

Training and capacity building

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, Libya has been among the ITEC partner countries, but participation was lower because of the political disturbance in the country and the closure of the Indian Mission in Tripoli. The number of ITEC slots offered to Libya was reduced from 30 in 2013 to 10 in the following years.

With the reopening of the Mission, ITEC slots were increased up to 45 in January 2025. During the current FY 2026-27, a total of 34 slots have already been used for Digital Health Innovations, Cyber Security and IT training programmes. The brief says the Mission is working on optimisation of the allocated slots.

A total of 31 Libyan diplomats have attended the Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats (PCFD) at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, New Delhi: 10 each in December 2024, August 2025 and June 2026, and 1 in February 2026.

Higher education

A 4-member delegation led by the Libyan Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, HE Imran Al-Qaib, visited India to take part in the 1st India-Arab Universities Presidents' Conference, held in New Delhi from 05-06 February 2025.

Cultural relations

A Cultural Exchange Programme was signed in 2007 during the then EAM's visit to Libya. ICCR-sponsored cultural troupes then visited Libya and staged performances in major cities:

  • An 8-member Cultural Group of Kathakali, led by Shri Kalamandalam Raman Kutty, visited Libya in August 2008 and gave two performances, in Tripoli and in Sirte.
  • A 12-member "Anart" Kathak group visited Libya from 16 - 22 November 2009 and performed in Tripoli, Sirte and Benghazi.

In the other direction, an 8-member Libyan cultural troupe sponsored by the ICCR performed in India during the first India-Africa Forum Summit in February 2008.

An exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi was held in Tripoli on 26 January 2013, coinciding with the Indian Republic Day Reception. It was attended by a number of high dignitaries, foreign diplomats and prominent Indians.

The Mission celebrated the International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2025. The IDY was earlier celebrated in Tripoli in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, but those events were restricted to Mission staff and Indian community members because of the fragile security situation.

Indian community

As of the June 2026 brief, over 6000 Indians are in different parts of Libya. They predominantly include blue collar workers, along with a few hundred professionals and people who have married Libyans and have been living there for several years. The brief says the Indian workforce in Libya has been gradually increasing since the Embassy of India in Tripoli reopened in July 2024 and the travel ban was relaxed.

Before the 2011 uprising, the number of Indians in Libya was estimated at around 18,000. Indian professionals were mainly engaged in hospitals and teaching institutions, while the major part of the workforce was employed in construction projects. Most were repatriated to India in February/March 2011 during the revolution, although a few thousand Indians continued to stay in Libya. The brief says the assistance rendered by Indian doctors and paramedics in Libya during the revolution was deeply appreciated.

In July 2014, after the security situation deteriorated following the destruction of Tripoli International Airport, the Government of India carried out a second evacuation exercise, bringing back 3793 Indians, of whom 1330 were repatriated at the Government's cost. Elsewhere, the brief says about 3800 Indian nationals were evacuated in 2014, including 6 Indians kidnapped by ISIS.