This article covers trade between India and South Africa, the main goods traded, the official working group on trade and investment, business forums and conclaves, and links in energy and mining. It is based on the MEA bilateral brief of April 2026, which takes its trade figures from India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Trade figures

According to the MEA brief of April 2026, commercial relations "have flourished" since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993. The brief gives the following figures for bilateral trade, in million US dollars, by Indian financial year:

  • 2020-21: India's exports 3,934.20; India's imports 7,570.79; total trade 11,504.99.
  • 2021-22: India's exports 6,085.29; India's imports 10,965.81; total trade 17,051.10.
  • 2022-23: India's exports 8,474.42; India's imports 10,397.83; total trade 18,872.25.
  • 2023-24: India's exports 8,707.53; India's imports 10,538.23; total trade 19,245.76.
  • 2024-25: India's exports 7,461.81; India's imports 10,548.61; total trade 18,010.42.
  • 2025-26, April to January 2026: India's exports 5838.84; India's imports 7184.63.

The figures for 2025-26 cover only part of the financial year and are not comparable with the full-year figures above.

Main goods traded

Major Indian exports to South Africa include vehicles and components, transport equipment, drugs and pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, footwear, dyes and intermediates, chemicals, textiles, rice, and gems and jewellery.

Major Indian imports from South Africa include gold, steam coal, copper ores and concentrates, phosphoric acid, manganese ore, aluminium ingots and other minerals.

On 10 April 2020, India facilitated the export to South Africa of about 25 million tablets of paracetamol and 0.5 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine (200mg).

Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment

The 2nd session of the Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment between India and South Africa was held in Pretoria on 22 April 2025. The Indian delegation was led by Ms. Priya Nair, Economic Adviser, Department of Commerce, and the South African delegation by Mr. Malose Letsoalo, Chief Director-Bilateral Relations, Department of Trade, Industry & Competition.

The meeting discussed export promotion, investment promotion, market access for plant and animal products and the SACU-India PTA, and ended with both sides signing the minutes. The brief adds that the SACU Secretariat in Namibia has recently shared the ToR with India's Department of Commerce.

Ministerial engagement on trade

South Africa's Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr. Parks Mpho Tau, led a delegation to India for the 20th CII India-Africa Business Conclave from 26 to 29 August 2025, at which South Africa was the focus country. On 26 August 2025 he held a bilateral meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal.

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada led a delegation to the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial meeting on 9 and 10 October 2025 at the Boardwalk International Convention Centre, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape. He had met Mr Zuko Godlimpi of South Africa on 24 October 2024 in Brazil, on the sidelines of the G20 Trade & Investment Ministers' Meeting.

Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Ms. Shobha Karandlaje met South African Deputy Minister of Small Business Development Ms. Raesetija Jane Sithole in New Delhi on 27 November 2024. The Deputy Minister was in India for the International Cooperative Alliance Global Cooperative Conference.

During her visit to India for the Raisina Dialogue 2024, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini met the senior management of Motherson Automotive Technologies and Engineering in Uttar Pradesh on 23 February 2024.

Business conclaves and forums

The High Commission of India, Pretoria, hosted the 2nd edition of the India-South Africa Business Conclave in Pretoria on 9 March 2026. Mr. Zuko Godlimpi, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, delivered the keynote address, and the brief records the participation of more than 200 entrepreneurs from India and South Africa. The programme included panel discussions and case study presentations on improving economic ties.

The first India-South Africa Business Conclave was held in Pretoria on 10 March 2025. At that event, an MoU on business cooperation was signed between the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) and the CII India Business Forum. Panel discussions covered economics, defence, automotive, banking, IT, pharmaceuticals, and FMCG and tourism.

The India-Business Forum South Africa (IBF SA), with the High Commission of India in Pretoria and the Consulate General of India in Johannesburg, held its Annual General Meeting on 19 August 2023. Shri Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER), Shri Prabhat Kumar, High Commissioner of India to South Africa and Lesotho, and Mr. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), briefed the business community on opportunities.

A seminar titled "India-South Africa Connect: Global visions meet digital realities" was held at Johannesburg Business School on 29 February 2024. Dr. Shamika Ravi, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, spoke on 'India's Remarkable Economic Growth Story', and two panel discussions were held: 'The Digital Payments Revolution in India and possible areas of cooperation with South Africa' and 'A South African Perspective on Inevitable India'.

The 3rd India-South Africa CEOs Forum was held in Pretoria on 8 July 2016, during the Prime Minister's visit, and 8 MoUs were signed at it. The fourth meeting took place in Sandton, Johannesburg, in the margins of the India-South Africa Business Summit on 29 and 30 April 2018.

Energy and mining

The inaugural Matla-Urja Energy Conference was held on 27 and 28 November 2024, co-hosted with the Wits Business School (WBS). It brought together energy executives and industry leaders from both countries to discuss the just energy transition and investment opportunities. The brief records two agreements arising from the conference, relating to training by India's National Power Training Institute (NPTI) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to assist Eskom with its power plant renovation and modernisation plans.

An Indian delegation led by Minister of State for Coal and Mines Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, with officials from the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Steel, took part in Mining Indaba 2026, which the brief describes as one of the world's prominent mining exhibitions. Coal India Limited, NMDC and MOIL were among the Indian Public Sector Undertakings represented.

In 2023, an Indian delegation led by Minister of State for Mines, Coal and Railways Shri Raosaheb Patil Danve visited South Africa from 3 to 10 February. It attended the Ministerial Symposium at Investing in African Mining Indaba on 4 February 2023 and the 'Mining Indaba Summit-2023' in Cape Town from 6 to 8 February 2023, before visiting Johannesburg.

The High Commission of India, Pretoria, and the University of Pretoria hosted the India-South Africa Critical Minerals Symposium at the university's Future Africa Campus on 17 March 2026. It was jointly inaugurated by Vice Chancellor Prof Francis Peterson and High Commissioner Mr. Prabhat Kumar. Mining companies, industry experts, consultants and academics from South Africa joined four professors from IIT Bombay, IIT Hyderabad and ISM (IIT) Dhanbad in panel discussions, and Ms. Lorrain Ngwenya, Chief Director, DMPR, GoSA, and Mr. Mohammad Sadiq, Director, Ministry of Mines, spoke on the critical mineral policies of the two countries.

Investment

The brief does not give figures for investment in either direction. Readers looking for investment data should consult official sources in India or South Africa.