The Fourth Session of the India-Namibia Joint Trade Committee (JTC) was held in New Delhi on 10-11 August 2026, led by Shri Amit Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, and Ms. Ndiitah Nghipondoka-Robiati, Executive Director of Namibia's Ministry of International Relations and Trade. The meeting resulted in signed Agreed Minutes and significant bilateral trade and cooperation developments.
Bilateral merchandise trade between India and Namibia increased to USD 592.94 million in 2025-26 from USD 568.40 million in 2024-25. India's exports accounted for USD 349.09 million while imports from Namibia stood at USD 243.85 million. Services trade also grew by 7.34% to USD 380 million in calendar year 2024.
Notable sectoral performance included India's engineering exports surging by 124.06% to USD 30.24 million, primarily driven by motor vehicles and components. Pharmaceutical and medical device exports reached USD 36.50 million, with India being Namibia's second-largest pharmaceutical source holding a 16.4% market share.
The Committee established institutional mechanisms including designating Invest India and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board as investment focal points with named officials on each side. A dedicated Services Working Group will be constituted to meet by February 2027 and submit its work plan to the JTC.
In health cooperation, the first Joint Working Group under the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medicine will be convened by December 2026. The Janaushadhi cooperation agreement with HLL Lifecare Limited is at an advanced stage of finalization.
Critical minerals cooperation was identified across exploration, offtake, processing and downstream beneficiation in lithium, graphite, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements, aligned with Namibia's value addition and local employment priorities. Namibia was invited to participate in India's Special Notified Zones at Surat and Mumbai and the India Rough Gemstones Sourcing Show, with training support in diamond cutting, polishing and jewellery design.
Digital cooperation continues with the rollout of Namibia's "WayaMe" instant payment system based on India's Unified Payments Interface, unveiled on 15 June 2026. Proposals for a FinTech Cooperation Framework between the Reserve Bank of India and the Bank of Namibia are under consideration.
Energy and infrastructure cooperation covers railways and rolling stock, solar and wind power, battery storage, transmission, green hydrogen, biofuels and desalination. The Terms of Reference for the India-SACU Preferential Trade Agreement were finalized and scheduled for signature on 12 August 2026, with negotiations to commence within one month and conclude within one year.
The JTC also advanced cooperation in agriculture and food security, MSMEs, textiles, tourism and sports. The Fifth Session of the JTC will be held in Namibia in 2028 with dates to be mutually agreed through diplomatic channels.