This article covers economic relations between India and Libya: the framework for economic cooperation, Indian companies and projects in Libya, trade figures and main items traded, and business delegations in both directions. All facts and figures are drawn from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026.

Framework for economic cooperation

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, India and Libya "have enjoyed close economic ties". In 1978, the two countries signed a framework agreement, the "Protocol on Industrial, Economic and Scientific Cooperation". This was the beginning of consultations on economic cooperation under the Indo-Libyan Joint Commission (ILJC), and a total of 10 sessions of the JCM have been held so far.

Indian companies and projects

The brief states that Indian companies have been active in Libya for over 30 years. Projects have been executed by major Indian PSUs such as BHEL, NBCC, OVL, IOC and Oil India, and by private companies including Punj Llyod, Unitech, KEC, SSB, Dastur Engineering, Shapoorji Pallonji, SECON, Global Steel (Ispat Group Company), NIIT, Sun Pharma, Simplex Projects and DS Construction. The projects included the construction of hospitals, housing units, schools, roads, power plants, airports, dams and transmission lines.

Indian companies have several projects in Libya, especially in oil and gas, power generation, infotech and construction. Indian Oil, Oil India and ONGC Videsh were involved in the Libyan hydrocarbon sector. In April 2014, Punj Lloyd won a contract of US$ 665 million to set up infrastructure facilities at Zliten city, and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) completed the Western Mountain Gas Turbine Power Project.

Indian IT companies such as JMR, DSS Software and I-flex Solutions have continued to provide software solutions to Libyan companies, especially in the banking sector. The brief says several Indian companies are seeking to resume stalled projects in Libya once the security situation improves.

Bilateral trade

The brief states that India-Libya bilateral trade is largely in India's favour and that it has witnessed steady growth in the post-pandemic era. It gives the following figures in US$ Mn, with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as the source:

  • 2020-21: India's exports 153.91, India's imports 70.52, total 224.43
  • 2021-22: India's exports 239.60, India's imports 358.20, total 597.80
  • 2022-23: India's exports 337.91, India's imports 729.89, total 1067.80
  • 2023-24: India's exports 565.12, India's imports 238.55, total 803.67
  • 2024-25: India's exports 650.38, India's imports 223.86, total 874.24

India's primary exports to Libya include engineering goods, drugs and pharmaceuticals, mica, coal and other ores, minerals, rice, tea, coffee, ceramic products and glassware. The main imports from Libya are petroleum (crude and products) and aluminium ores.

Recent business visits

To revive the momentum of bilateral trade and investment, a 7-member Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) delegation visited Tripoli on 08-09 September 2025. It held meetings with the General Union of Chambers of Commerce and Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the General Electricity of Libya (GECOL), and the Ministries of Tourism, Housing, and Commerce and Trade.

In 2026, 15 Indian producers and exporters of tea, coffee, basmati rice, grains and other products took part in the Libyan International Food Exhibition "LibyaFood7", held in Tripoli from March 29 to April 01, 2026. The brief describes the response from Libyan importers as encouraging.

Earlier visits from India

  • A 14-member CII delegation visited Libya from 30 October-1 November 2012 and met the Libyan Business Council, the Chamber of Commerce and government authorities including the Ministries of Interior and Health. A meeting with the Prime Minister of Libya was also arranged.
  • A 2-member OVL delegation took part in the CWC "Libya Forum on Oil and Gas" in Tripoli on 17-18 September 2013. A 2-member technical delegation from BHEL headed by its CMD, Mr. B P Rao, visited Libya to finalise completion of its power plant.
  • Three Indian companies took part in the Pharma Expo from 10-12 September 2013, and some took part in the 11th Tripoli International Book Fair from 01-10 October 2013, the first held after the revolution of 2011.
  • Dr. Tamanna Chaturvedi of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) visited Libya on 24-25 March 2014 to discuss an Executive Development Programme under the aegis of IAFS with the Libyan Ministry of Economy.
  • A 16-member CII-led CEOs delegation visited Tripoli from 5-7 April 2014 and called on the first Deputy President of the GNC, Ezzidine Mohammed Al-Awami, among others.
  • Mr. J.K. Pandey, Group General Manager of TCIL, the nodal agency, visited Libya from 11-14 May 2014 to help revive the Pan-African E-Network Initiative, launched in Libya in 2008-09 and stalled after the February 2011 revolution.

An 'India Pavilion' led by ITPO, with around 80 participating firms from consumer product sectors, took part in TIF 2014. The brief records it as the highest Indian participation in recent times and the largest foreign country participation among the eight countries taking part, marking India's return to the fair three years after the February 2011 revolution. An 'India Day' event, fully funded by ITPO, was held on 6 April 2014 for B-2-B interaction and BSM.

Earlier visits from Libya

  • A 6-member delegation led by Mr. Saeed Ibrahim Al-Khattali, Assistant Under Secretary of Technical Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended the 9th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership in New Delhi from 17-19 March 2013.
  • A 5-member delegation from the Libyan Ministry of Health led by Deputy Minister Ali Saad Saeid Saad attended the "Health and Wellness Tourism Meet" in Delhi from 26-29 April 2013.
  • A 27-member business delegation headed by the Chairman of the Tripoli Chamber of Commerce and Vice Chairman of the Libya Business Council (LBC) took part in 'I for Afrika', organised by the Indo-African Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai from 3-6 October 2013.
  • Two businessmen dealing in agricultural products attended the 33rd India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from 14-27 November 2013.
  • Dr. Abdulbari A. Arousi, Minister of Oil & Gas, led a 6-member delegation to the biennial international Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition 'PETROTECH' from 12-14 January 2014.
  • A 10-member business delegation took part in the Marble stone & granite (STONA) expo in Bangalore from 12-15 February 2014.
  • The Chairman of the Libyan Privatization and Investment Board (PIB) attended the CII-EXIM Bank conclave in New Delhi from 9-11 March 2014.
  • In April 2015, Mr. Ahmed Nuredin Ali Salem, Minister of Electricity in the Tripoli Salvation Government, visited India at the invitation of BHEL.