This article covers education, culture and people-to-people links between India and Togo, including ICCR scholarships, education fairs, cultural troupes and events, media and academic visits, and the Indian community in Togo. All facts are drawn from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of April 2026.

ICCR scholarships

According to the MEA brief of April 2026, Togo had utilised 12 ICCR scholarships before the 2022-23 academic year. In the 2022-23 academic year, it utilised all five slots offered.

Based on the recommendations of the Indian mission, ICCR increased the number of scholarship slots for Togo from 5 to 8 beginning in the 2024-25 academic year. The brief states that the number rises further to 15 from the 2026-27 academic year onward.

Education fairs and academic visits

Four India Education Fairs (Study in India Fairs) were held in Lomé, in April 2022, February 2023, February 2024 and April 2025, with the participation of over 30 universities.

  • Prof. Ihou Wateba, Minister of Higher Education and Research of Togo, visited India from 2 to 10 October 2022 under the Distinguished Visitors Programme (DVP) of ICCR, and visited various academic institutes.
  • Mr. Jervis Zogbema, Director of the Directorate of Internships and Scholarships, visited India under ICCR's Academic Visitors Programme in October 2023.

Cultural troupes in India

The brief records regular participation of Togolese cultural troupes in fairs in India:

  • a 20-member troupe, 'ADEPOMA', at the 39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela, from 31 January to 15 February 2026
  • a 20-member troupe, 'Zogbeadji', at the 38th edition of the Surajkund International Crafts Mela, from 7 to 23 February 2025
  • the troupe Gazo Oyeye at the 37th edition of the Mela, from 2 to 18 February 2024
  • a 10-member troupe, "SITSOPE", at the Chhattisgarh National Tribal Dance Festival in Raipur on 1-3 November 2022

Indian culture in Togo

To mark the Freedom India@70 celebrations, a performance by an Odissi dance troupe sponsored by India's Ministry of Culture was organised on 09 August 2017. An Indian dance ensemble had earlier visited Togo in 1984.

The Indian mission organises the International Day of Yoga every year. The 11th International Day of Yoga was celebrated on 21 June 2025.

Media and people-to-people visits

The brief records a series of familiarisation visits to India by Togolese journalists and content creators:

  • Two journalists from Togo visited India from 23 to 30 October 2024 on a familiarisation tour for media from the Central and West Africa region. In their debrief, according to the brief, they recommended that Togo join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
  • In the first World Audiovisual and Entertainment Summit, held from 1 to 4 May 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, Mr. Kokou Missite, Director of Cabinet in the Ministry of Communication, Media and Culture, represented Togo's Minister of Communication, Media and Culture.
  • Two Togolese content creators, Mr. Kodjo Agbenohevi and Ms. Valentine Taou, visited India from 21 to 29 May 2025 as part of a visit by content creators and social media influencers from Central and Western Africa.
  • Ms. Memede Ambroisine Azododassi, Managing Director of Savoir News, visited India from 13 to 22 January 2026 as part of a familiarisation visit for media editors and journalists from Africa, Papua New Guinea and Pacific Islands countries.

In March 2018, Shri Kailash Satyarthi, the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner and honorary President of the Global March against Child Labour, was received by the Speaker of the Togolese Parliament.

The Indian community

The brief describes the Indian community in Togo as relatively small, comprising approximately 1,200 Indians. The community has an association, the 'Indian Association of Togo', which serves as a platform for cultural, social and community engagement.

Many members of the community are involved in trading or run retail grocery stores and restaurants, while some run large business enterprises, including groups of companies. According to the brief, the top 10 major Indian-owned businesses in Togo together employ over 4,000 local workers.