India and Libya Relations

VVIP Visits: 

In a historic first meeting, Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno met Hon’ble PM of India on the sidelines of India Africa Forum Summit -II in Addis Ababa in May 2011. He expressed his wish to pay a bilateral visit to India which was accepted by the Hon’ble PM.

Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno visited New Delhi for the India-Africa Summit-III from October 26-30, 2015. Apart from Summit level meeting, President Deby held bilateral meeting with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The relations assumed a boost in recent times with the visit of Chadian Prime Minister Mr. Pahimi Padacke Albert to New Delhi from 10-13 March 2018 to attend the Founding Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Solar Summit in New Delhi on 11 March 2018. Prime Minister of Chad also held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of ISA.

Chadian participation to the CII-India Africa Business Conclaves has been encouraging. Chadian Commerce and Industry Minister Mr. Guibolo Fanga Mathieu visited India to attend the 19^th CII India-Africa Conclave held in New Delhi from 20-22 August 2024. He was accompanied by a 5-member official delegation and 20-member business delegation. He also addressed one of the sessions. On the sidelines of the conclave, he met MoS (Commerce & Industry) Shri Jitin Prasada on 20 August 2024.

Foreign Minister Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat visited New Delhi in August 2013 and held bilateral discussions with both EAM and MOS (PK).

Minister of Petrol, Energy and in-charge of Promotion of Renewable Energy Mr. Bechir Madet visited India from 5-7 December 2016 to attend the 12^th edition of Petro-Tech 2016. During the visit, he met MoS (IC) Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.

Minister of Economy, Planning & Development Mr. Ngueto Tiraina Yambaye, accompanied by three senior officials, visited India to attend African Development Bank (AfDB) meeting held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 22-26 May 2017.

Minister of Telecommunication & Digital Economy Mr. Mahamat Allahou Taher visited India from May 20-24, 2023. During the visit he met Shri Ashvini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Communication & Electronics and Information Technology. 

Recently, A 4-member defence delegation led by Chief of Staff visited India from 10-17 February 2025 to participate in AERO India 2025 at the invitation of our Defence Minister. The delegation also visited Bangalore, Pune, Kanpur and Delhi during their stay in India.

On 12 January 2023, Minister of Finance and Budget of the Republic of Chad Mr. Tahid Hamid Nguilin participated virtually in Finance Ministers' Session of Voice of Global South Summit (VoGSS) on theme ‘Financing People Centric Development’ which was hosted by Finance Ministers of India Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.

Minister of Public Health & Prevention Dr. Abdel Madjid Abderahim participated in the Health Ministers’ Session of the 2^nd Voice of Global South Summit (VoGSS) held on 17 November 2023 under the theme “Together, for Everyone’s Growth, with Everyone’s Trust”.

Minister of Environment, Fisheries and Sustainable Development Dr. Idriss Saleh Bachar participated in the Environment Ministers’ Session of Voice of Global South Summit (VoGSS 3.0) as the first speaker held on 17 August 2024.

Special Envoy to Prime Minister, Prof. Ram Shankar Katheria, Hon’ble Minister of State for HRD visited Chad on July 13-14, 2015 to handover invitation letter from Hon’ble Prime Minister to Chadian President to attend India-Africa Summit III in New Delhi.

The 1^st round of India-Chad Foreign Office Consultations (FOCs) was held on February 13, 2025 in N’Djamena, co-chaired by Shri Sevala Naik Mude, Additional Secretary (Central and West Africa), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Mrs. Fatime Aldjineh Garfa, Minister delegate for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Chad. During the FOCs, both sides undertook a comprehensive review of the entire gamut of India-Chad relations encompassing key areas of bilateral cooperation including trade, investment, health & pharmaceuticals, education, capacity building, defence, digital public infrastructure (DPI), agriculture, people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Both sides agreed to further deepen bilateral ties in key areas to enhance cooperation in the multilateral fora.

Chad is a member of TEAM-9 Initiative (Techno-Economic Approach for African Movement) comprising eight West and Central African countries seeking to benefit in technical and economic spheres through cooperation with India. There is considerable untapped potential for mutually beneficial co-operation in hydrocarbons, mining, agriculture, health and infrastructure sectors.

India’s direct bilateral trade with Chad has surged from small base during past few years, but remains much below the potentials. During 2018-19, our bilateral trade with Chad was USD 513.59 million. The increase in the import of crude oil was the main reason for the significant increase in bilateral trade. After a sharp decline during Corona pandemic, the bilateral trade has started growing gradually since 2022-23. The bilateral trade figures for the past 7 years are given below:

Indian economic presence in Chad received a boost through Airtel’s US$ 1 billion acquisition of Zain Telecom, Chad’s biggest network, in June 2010. Airtel has invested additional US$ 400 million to expand its network in the country and to improve its quality since 2014.

Some Indian private companies are in the process of starting ventures in the pharmaceutical, foodstuffs, restaurants, and edible oil, etc. sectors in Chad. Several Indian companies based in Nigeria and Tanzania are also exploring opportunities for investment in Chad. Bharat Heavy Industries have supplied 331 Kilometres of pipes for the oil refinery project. A delegation from BHEL visited Chad in August 2018 to explore project exports.

A high-level Indian business delegation of 7 reputed companies representing Energy, Mines, Pharmaceutical products, and Telecommunications & IT, Tourism, Infrastructure and Defense sectors visited N'Djamena, Chad on 7-11 December 2015. During their visit, the business delegation had meetings with the Chadian Prime Minister, Ministers of Commerce, Telecommunications, Agriculture, Civil Aviation, Defence and Infrastructure, besides meeting Chamber of Commerce and Chadian businessmen.

A CII led 8-member business delegation to N’Djamena from 24-27 September 2024. The Mission organized a B2B meet on 25/9 which was attended by over 50 Chadian business leaders and industrialists. The inaugural session was addressed by Ambassador of India, the Minister of Commerce & Industry, the DG of National Agency for Investment & Export, and the leader of CII delegation. This was the first-ever visit by a CII delegation to Chad and the host country was quite excited to receive them. On September 26, the Mission arranged separate meetings for the delegation with Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers of Health, Commerce & Industry, Petroleum, Mines & Geology, Minister of State for Infrastructure Development, Deputy Ministers of Telecommunications, Higher Education, and Water & Energy.

Under its Developmental Partnership initiative, GoI has extended the following three Lines of Credit (LoC) of worth US$72.02 to Chad.

1. LoC of US$ 50 million: EXIM Bank has extended a GoI-LoC of US$ 50 million to Govt. of Chad for financing a Cotton Yarn Plant, a Bicycle Pant, an Industrial transport equipment and rolling plant, Agro-processing plants for Tomato and Mango, and Irrigation equipment in Chad. The LoC agreement was signed on August 29, 2005 and made effective on September 27, 2005. The LoC has since been fully disbursed and projects completed.
2. LoC of US$ 15.9 million: EXIM Bank has extended a GoI-LoC of US$ 15.9 million to Govt. of Chad for financing the ‘Extension of Spinning Mill’ [addition of weaving and processing capacities]. Contract for this LoC was awarded in May 2014. The LoC has been disbursed and the project has been inaugurated in November 2020.
3. Loc of US$ 6.12 million: Capitalisation of all interest, penal interest and commitment fee overdues under the LOC of US$ 50 million and LOC of US$ 15.90 million and future interest and other dues falling due under the LOC of US$ 50 million till June 2020 and LOC of US$ 15.90 million till December 23, 2023, into new LOC of US$ 6.12 million.

Govt. of India donated 5,000 metric tons of rice to Chad in 2004. During Covid-19 pandemic, India donated a 6 tons consignment of essential medicines, including HCQS and antibiotics, to the Republic of Chad in July 2020. In May 2022, Chad approved the reciprocal Mutual Recognition of COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates (MRVC) issued by each other’s health authorities. Now Chad has been included by India in list of exempted countries.

India extended humanitarian assistance to victims of fire incident erupted in June 2024 at the military ammunition depot in Chad’s Capital by sending approx. 2300 kg consisting of essential life-saving antibiotics and general medicines. The consignment was handed over to Chadian Minister of Health by Ambassador of India in N’Djamena on 26 September 2024.

Chad is optimising the ITEC, ICCR and other development assistance from India since the establishment of Mission in N’Djamena. Keeping in view the enthusiasm of Chadian students and their keenness to study in India, the ITEC slots have been increased to 40 and ICCR Scholarships to 35 slots from 25 for the academic year 2026-27. Apart from the regular calendar-based training programmes, a month-long English language training especially for the diplomats and senior officers of the Republic of Chad was organized under ITEC programme in October 2025.

During 2024-25 session, 5 Chadians completed year-long Hindi language course at Kendriya Hindi Sansathan, Agra.

Moreover, two Chadian directors, one from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other from Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Economy, completed ‘Executive Course on Data for Development’ at the National Institute of Labor Economics Research and Development (NILERD), New Delhi in October 2024.

Earlier, for the first time in 2018-19, 15 Chadian Public Servants got trained in India under a Special ITEC Course on English Language Proficiency at EFLU, Hyderabad. Chad utilized 19 out of the 20 civilian short term training programmes offered under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) for the year 2018-19. During 2019-20, Chad utilized 3 slots under the IAFS-III training programmes, and 5 ICCR scholarships. In 2022-23, Chad utilized 8 slots under the ICCR Scholarship, 3 Chadians were selected for year-long Hindi classes at Central Institute of Hindi in Agra. In 2023-24, 3 Chadians utilized ICCR slots and 3 Foreign Ministry officials availed ITEC training. Over 25 Chadians have also studied Hindi language at Kendriya Hindi Sansthan at Agra.

A 6-member ICCR Odissi Dance group from Kaishiki Dance Academy, performed in N’Djamena in January 2020, which was attended by the Chadian Minister of Culture, and Minister of Youth promotion.

Chadians trained in Hindi language formed ‘Yarana Association’, which is promoting Hindi language by running weekly Hindi classes, and Indian culture through celebration of Indian festivals.

As part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), the Mission in N’Djamena organized a cultural event “Namaste India” in July 2023.

The Mission organized IDY 2023 for the first time in N’Djamena at the iconic location of Cultural Palace which was participated by 200 Chadians and Indians. During 2024 and 2025, the Mission organized two IDY events with participation of Chadians, Indians, officials of International Organisations in Chad in encouraging numbers.

To celebrate the vision of a Developed India by 2047, Viksit Bharat Run 2025 was organized at La Place de La Nation (symbolic public space) in September, 2025. Representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs of the Republic of Chad participated in the event.

There are about 250 Indians and 45 Indian companies in Chad working mostly in oil projects, international organizations, missionaries. Many are engaged in trade in Chad.

In May 2023, the Mission in N’Djamena facilitated evacuation of over 20 Indians from neighboring Sudan following the outbreak of war there.

February 2026