This article covers commercial relations between India and the Republic of the Congo: bilateral trade and the goods traded, trade figures by year, Indian investment, the business conclaves in India attended by Congolese ministers, and business delegations to the Congo. It draws on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of April 2026.

Bilateral trade

According to the MEA brief of April 2026, bilateral trade stood at USD 548.58 million during FY 2024-25. India's exports were USD 178.39 million and its imports USD 370.19 million.

The main items of India's export are rice, cereals, meat, pharmaceutical products, inorganic chemicals, and vehicles and parts thereof. Imports are mainly petroleum oils & crude oils, which the brief says constituted more than 80%, and metals.

Trade by year

The brief gives the following bilateral trade figures, in USD millions:

  • 2018-19: exports 124, imports 403, total trade 527
  • 2019-20: exports 113, imports 587, total trade 700
  • 2020-21: exports 110, imports 246, total trade 356
  • 2021-22: exports 162, imports 1,309, total trade 1,471
  • 2022-23: exports 178.5, imports 2,026.19, total trade 2,204.69
  • 2023-24: exports 176.03, imports 122.39, total trade 298.42
  • 2024-25: exports 178.39, imports 370.19, total trade 548.58
  • 2025-26, till November: exports 135.34, imports 361.58, total trade 496.92

Indian investment

The brief records that Bharti Airtel acquired Zain Communications Network, and thereby telecom operations in the Republic of Congo, in 2010.

Congolese ministers at business conclaves in India

Congolese ministers have regularly attended the CII EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership in New Delhi:

  • March 2010, 6th Conclave: Mr Basile Ikouebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • 27-29 March 2011, 7th Conclave: Mr Alain Akouala Atipault, Minister in the Presidency, in charge of Special Economic Zone
  • 2012, 8th Conclave: Ms. Claudine Munari, Minister of Trade, and Mr Basile Ikouebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
  • 2013, 9th Conclave: Ms. Claudine Munari, Minister of Trade, Mr Alain Akouala Atipault, Minister of Special Economic Zones, and Mr Anatole C. Makosso, Minister of Youth Affairs and Head of the African Union Commission for Youth Affairs
  • March 2014, 10th Conclave: Senior Minister of Industrial Development and Private Sector Promotion Mr Mvouba Isidore, with Ms. Claudine Munari, Mr Alain Akouala Atipault and Anatole Collinet Makosso, Minister of Youth
  • September 2016, 12th Conclave: Ms. Jacqueline Lydia Mikolo, Minister of Health and Population
  • March 2018, 13th Conclave: Mr Rodrigue Ngonimba, Minister of Construction, Urbanism and Housing
  • July 2022, 17th Conclave: Mr Emile Ouosso, Minister of Special Economic Zones and Economic Diversification

In June 2023, Mr Thomas Nicephore FYLLA SAINT-EUDES, Minister of Industrial Development and Promotion of the Private Sector, and Mr Jean Jacques Bouya, Minister of State for Territory Planning, Infrastructure and Road Maintenance, participated in the 18th CII Africa Conclave on India Africa Growth Partnership, held in New Delhi from 14-16 June 2023.

CII delegation to the Congo

A 14-member delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) visited the Republic of Congo from 03-04 March 2024. On 03 March, it held a meeting, including B2B discussions, hosted by the National Union of Economic Operators of Congo (UNOC).

On 4 March, an interactive session and further B2B interactions took place at the Embassy of India. Approximately 80 Congolese businessmen attended from the Agency for the Promotion of Investments (API), which the brief describes as an investment promotion agency under the Government, UNOC, UNICONGO and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, together with local Indian businessmen. CII and API delivered presentations on potential collaborations.

Phosphate

A commercial delegation led by Shri Ramesh Chakra, accompanied by Mr. Rohith Reddy and Mr. K Prithvi Reddy of M/s Coreopsis Infra Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad, visited the ROC from 22-28 May 2024 to explore possibilities for export of Rock Phosphate from the ROC to India. The delegation met Chambers of Commerce and the Director of API, and visited Sibiti town. In Pointe Noire, it met Mr. Patric of Cominco Resources.

The delegation also visited the Hinda phosphate project, a US$ 2 billion project being developed by Cominco Resources. According to the brief, the Hinda project is the world's largest undeveloped phosphate deposit, with a Minable Ore Reserve of 405 Mt, sufficient for over 24 years of production.

A KRIBHCO and developer's delegation visited the Republic of Congo from 22-25 September 2024 in connection with a visit to the phosphate exploration site. It consisted of General Manager (Projects) Sanjay Kansal, Shri JK Mishra, GM (F&A), Shri Konduri Srinivas, Sr. Geologist, and developer Shri S Ramesh Chakra, Director, Coreopsis. The delegation met prospective mine owners and other ROC officials and stakeholders.