India–Mali Explore Opportunities To Deepen Trade And Investment Ties

New Delhi, Jul 4 (KNN) India and Mali have formalised their expanding economic engagement with the launch of the India–Mali Forum for the Promotion of Exports, aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

The two-day forum was jointly organised by Mali’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Indian Embassy in Bamako and APEX-Mali, bringing together officials and business leaders from both sides. 

The Indian delegation was led by Amit Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, with participation from around 30 Indian companies.

Focus on Sectoral Collaboration

The forum facilitated a series of business and government-level meetings across sectors including renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, textiles, automotive manufacturing and mining. 

Both sides identified key areas for future cooperation such as cotton and textiles, agro-processing, energy, pharmaceuticals and social infrastructure.

Mali also sought India’s support in digitising its certificate of origin systems and expediting approvals for Indian pharmaceutical products. 

The Indian side raised issues related to market access, including reconsideration of the shea-nut export ban, and emphasised the need to safeguard investments and personnel.

Trade Growth and Untapped Potential

Bilateral trade between India and Mali has seen strong growth, crossing USD 326 million in FY 2025–26, marking a 55 per cent increase over the previous year. 

Mali exports commodities such as raw cotton, leather, cashew, sesame and gum arabic to India, while India supplies pharmaceuticals, textiles and automobiles.

The partnership has been supported by India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference scheme, with significant untapped export potential remaining. 

Against Mali’s global exports of about USD 4 billion, nearly USD 3.96 billion worth of opportunities are estimated to be accessible in the Indian market.

Mali reaffirmed its commitment to improving the business environment under its Vision Mali 2063 roadmap and announced plans to host a dedicated investment forum on December 3–4, 2026, to showcase new opportunities for global investors.

(KNN Bureau)