This article covers trade between India and Somalia, including figures for three years and the main goods traded, and India's development partnership with Somalia: humanitarian assistance, support for AMISOM, training and scholarships, and the e-network projects. It is based on the MEA brief of March 2026, and figures are given as of that brief. Trade is covered here because the brief has too little trade material for a separate article.

Trade and market access

According to the MEA brief of March 2026, Somalia, being an LDC country, qualifies for India's offer of unilateral Duty-Free Tariff Preferential (DFTP) market access for export of goods and services to India.

The brief states that India is one of Somalia's top trading partners, with trade relations encompassing various sectors of the economy.

Trade in 2024-25

The value of trade in FY 2024-25 stood at US$ 800.86 million. Of this, Indian exports to Somalia were worth US$ 765.66 million and imports from Somalia to India US$ 35.20 million.

Main Indian exports to Somalia in the period included:

  • cereals
  • sugars and confectionery
  • vehicles and parts
  • clothing and articles
  • electrical machinery and equipment
  • ceramic products
  • machinery and plastics

Main Somali exports to India were iron and steel, oil seeds and fruits, electrical machinery and equipment, aluminium and articles, petroleum products, lead and articles, and raw hides and skins.

Trade figures, 2022-23 to 2024-25

The brief gives the following figures, with values in US$ million:

  • Exports from India: 946.37 in 2022-23, 819.58 in 2023-24 and 765.66 in 2024-25. Growth was 27.10%, -13.40% and -6.58% respectively, and the share of India's exports was 0.2098%, 0.1875% and 0.1750%.
  • Imports into India: 17.90 in 2022-23, 28.21 in 2023-24 and 35.20 in 2024-25. Growth was -0.93%, 57.61% and 24.81% respectively, and the share of India's imports was 0.0025%, 0.0042% and 0.0049%.
  • Total trade: 964.27 in 2022-23, 847.79 in 2023-24 and 800.86 in 2024-25, with growth of 26.44%, -12.08% and -5.54% respectively.
  • Trade balance: 928.47 in 2022-23, 791.37 in 2023-24 and 730.46 in 2024-25.

Business engagement

The State Minister of Commerce and Industry of Somalia, Abdisalam Sharif Hussein, visited India in August 2024 for the CII India-Africa Business Conclave.

The brief does not give figures for investment in either direction.

Development partnership

The brief describes India as a consistent partner in Somalia's development, providing humanitarian assistance, capacity building and institutional support over several decades.

Humanitarian assistance

The brief records India's assistance from early engagements onwards:

  • 1985: supply of 100,000 tonnes of wheat to countries in the region, including Somalia.
  • 1992: relief assistance comprising medicines and food worth Rs. 20 lakh, during the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs Eduardo Faleiro.
  • September 2011: humanitarian assistance of US$ 8 million announced for countries in the Horn of Africa region, including Somalia, through the World Food Programme.
  • July 2018: essential medicines worth US$ 1 million handed over to Somalia's Ministry of Health.
  • February 2021: a gift of 27 mini-buses.
  • September 2025: a donation of 10 tonnes of medical aid, including essential medicines, surgical supplies and hospital equipment.

Support for AMISOM

Following the announcement by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at the 2nd India-Africa Forum Summit in May 2011, India contributed US$ 2 million to AMISOM. It subsequently extended additional support of US$ 1 million each in 2012, 2017 and 2021 to the United Nations Trust Fund for AMISOM.

Training and scholarships

Somalia is allocated 15 slots annually under the ICCR and ITEC programmes, and the ITEC allocation was increased to 30 slots in 2025. Somalia also participates in IAFS-III scholarships and the e-ITEC platform. According to the brief, Somalia has utilised over 200 training slots over the past decade.

A special training programme for 20 Somali diplomats was conducted at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service in September-October 2015. A second course followed in May-June 2018, alongside the signing of an MoU between the Foreign Service Institute and Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 2018. In August 2025, 10 Somali diplomats took part in a special course for foreign diplomats at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.

E-network projects

In August 2010, Somalia became a partner country in the Pan-African e-Network project, inaugurated by External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna. Somalia is also a partner country under the e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti (e-VBAB) Network project, which the brief describes as the successor to the Pan-African e-Network.