India-South Africa Relations Historical Background Indias links with the struggle for freedom and justice in South

Africa date back to the period during which Mahatma Gandhi started his Satyagraha movement in South Africa over a century ago. India was at the forefront of the international community in its support to the anti apartheid movement! it was the first country to sever trade relations with the apartheid Government "in #$%&' and subse(uently imposed a complete diplomatic) commercial) cultural and sports embargo on South Africa. India worked consistently to put the issue of apartheid on the agenda of the *+) +AM and other multilateral organi,ations and for the imposition of comprehensive international sanctions against South Africa. -he A+. maintained a representative office in +ew /elhi from the #$&0s onwards. 1ollowing talks between the then South African Government and the A+.) Indias relations with South Africa were restored after a gap of over four decades with the opening of a .ultural .entre in 2ohannesburg in May #$$3. 1ormal diplomatic and consular relations with South Africa were restored in +ovember #$$3 during the visit to India of the then South African 1oreign Minister 4ik 5otha. A .onsulate General was thereafter established in 2ohannesburg. -he Indian 6igh .ommission in 4retoria was opened in May #$$%) followed by the opening of the .onsulate General in /urban the same month. Since 4arliament in South Africa meets in .ape -own) a permanent office of the 6igh .ommission was opened there in #$$&) which has been re designated as .onsulate General of India with effect from 2anuary 70##. In addition to its 6igh .ommission in /elhi) South Africa has a .onsulate General in Mumbai. Political Relations Development of political relations since 199 Against the background of Indias consistent support to the anti apartheid struggle) there has been a steady consolidation of our close and friendly ties with South Africa) both bilaterally and through the trilateral I5SA /ialogue 1orum. A number of bilateral agreements have been concluded between the two countries since the assumption of diplomatic relations in #$$3 in diverse areas ranging from economic and commercial cooperation) defence) culture) heath) human settlements) public administration) science and technology and education. Indias -echnical and 8conomic .ooperation 4rogramme "I-8.' has been a useful medium of promoting cooperation in development of human resources.

Recent High !evel visits 4rime Minister /r Manmohan Singh visited South Africa in March 70#3 to attend 9th 5:I.S Summit held in /urban. 4Ms official delegation included 1inance Minister Shri 4..hidambaram) .ommerce and Industry Minister Shri Anand Sharma! and other senior officials. 4resident Smt. 4ratibha /evisingh 4atil paid a State ;isit to South Africa in May 70#7. 4resident of South Africa) Mr 2acob <uma paid a visit to India in March 70#7 for % th 5:I.S Summit. 4resident <uma) accompanied by Mrs +ompumelelo +tuli <uma) had earlier paid a State ;isit to India from 07 to 09 2une 70#0. 4resident <umas delegation included = .abinet Ministers >Ministers of International :elations and .ooperation) /efence) 4ublic 8nterprises) -rade ? Industry) Agriculture) 1orestry ? 1isheries) -ransport and .ommunications@. -hree MA*sBAgreements were signed during the visitC "i' MA* on 7 .ooperation in the 1ield of Agriculture and Allied Sectors) "ii' Air Services Agreement and "iii' Mo* on cooperation between the 1oreign Service Institute of India and the /iplomatic Academy of South Africa. A 700 member strong business delegation as well as senior officials accompanied 4resident <uma on his visit. 4resident <uma met 4resident) ;ice 4resident and 4rime Minister! MAS for 8Dternal Affairs as well as .hairperson of *4A and Eeader of the Apposition in the Eok Sabha called on him. /iscussions reflected the fraternal warmth and affection as well as the strategic partnership that characteri,e bilateral relations. 4resident <uma and his delegation also met Indian business leaders in Mumbai on 2une 7) 70#0. -he regular 4arliamentary eDchanges between India and South Africa continued. 1rom South Africa) a joint 4arliamentary delegation led by Speaker Mr. MaD Sisulu and .hairperson) +ational .ouncil of 4rovinces) Mr. M.2. Mahlangu) visited India on F #% 2uly) 70#7. A goodwill 4arliamentary delegation led by 6onble Minister for 4arliamentary Affairs and Gater :esources Shri 4awan 5ansal) visited South Africa in Actober) 70#7. -here has been regular eDchanges at Ministerial level including visit of Shri 4ratik 4rakashbapu 4atil) MAS".oal' in Actober 70#7 and Shri Anand Sharma) Minister of .ommerce) Industry and -eDtile in 2anuary 70#3. Secretary) Ministry of Averseas Indian Affairs addressed Indian /iaspora during his visit to South Africa at 2ohannesburg) .ape -own and /urban in April 70#3. "oint #ommission and $oreign %ffice #onsultations -he India South Africa 2oint .ommission at the level of 1oreign Ministers was set up in #$$% to identify areas of mutually beneficial cooperation. -he = th session of the 2M. was held in 4retoria in 1ebruary 700F. /uring the visit) three Agreements on .ustoms .ooperation) S?- and visa free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders were signed. India hosted the F th session of the 2M. in March 70## in +ew /elhi. 8AM Shri S.M. Hrishna headed the Indian delegation) while Minister Mashabane led the South African side. 1our rounds of 1oreign Affice .onsultations have also been held! the latest in 4retoria in May 70#0. Secretary "Gest') M8A) Shri ;ivek Hatju headed the Indian delegation.

IBSA & BRI#S Initiative An 2une &) 7003) the 1oreign Ministers of India) 5ra,il and South Africa met in 5rasilia and agreed to set up a /ialogue 1orum for regular consultations on such matters. Subse(uently) in 700&) this was upgraded to Summit level! five Summits have been held so far) the last in 4retoria in Actober 70##. I5SA -rilateral Ministerial meeting was held in +ew /elhi in March 70##. #& Sectoral Gorking Groups have been established in areas such as health) agriculture) education) human settlements) S?- and defence. South Africa has also been admitted as a member of the 5:I.S grouping and attended the 5:I.S meeting held in April 70## at Sanya) 5:I.S Summit held in March 70#7 in +ew /elhi and South Africa hosted the 9th Summit at /urban in March 70#3. #ommercial & 'conomic Relations .ommercial relations have flourished since the establishment of diplomatic relations in #$$3. An the trade front) value of bilateral trade has increased from *SI 7.9 billion in 7003 700% to *SI #3.#F billion in 70#7 #3. /uring the visit of 4resident <uma to India) both sides agreed to work towards a target of *S/ #0 billion in bilateral trade by 70#7. -he trade target was revised to *SI #9 billion by 70#% during the visit of .ommerce and Industry Minister in 2anuary 70## to South Africa as the bilateral trade target was achieved in 1J 70#0 ##. :ecent bilateral trade figures are as followsC $igures in ()*S+ India1s '2ports India1s Imports 3otal 3rade 7)&&0.= 3)&09.3 45,44)#)$F0.3 9)9#3.& .5 90)9 709F.9 9&=%.9 ..00)3$F9.07 =#%0.99 111,6 )6. %=3#.#= $$=3.## 1 .- ),9 9#0&.%& F0=%.09 101/-)61 ,--.--/ ,--/--9 ,--9-1,-1--11 ,-11-1, ,-1,-10

SourceC Ministry of .ommerce -here is substantial potential for trade growth between the two countries. 8Dports from India to South Africa include vehicles and components thereof) transport e(uipment) drugs and pharmaceuticals) engineering goods) footwear) dyes and intermediates) chemicals) teDtiles) rice) and gems and jewellery) etc. Import from South Africa to India include gold) steam coal) copper ores ? concentrates) phosphoric acid) manganese ore) aluminum ingots ? other minerals.

Major investors include -ata "automobiles) I-) hospitality) and ferrochrome plant') *5 Group "breweries) hotels') Mahindra "automobiles' and a number of pharmaceutical companies) including :anbaDy) .I4EA) etc as well as Icompanies and some investments in the mining sector. -here is also growing South African investments in India led by SA5 Miller "breweries') A.SA "upgradation of Mumbai airport') SA+EAM and Ald Mutual "insurance') AE-8.6 "set top boDes') Adcock Ingram "pharmaceuticals') :and Merchant 5ank "banking'. 1irst +ational 5ank) a leading bank of South Africa opened its branch in Mumbai in April 70#7. In 70#7) #0&==% Indian tourists visited South Africa while approD 9F%30 South African tourists visited India in 70##. A 79 Member delegation led by Secretary) Mines) visited .ape -own on 3 F 1ebruary 70#3 to attend Mining Indaba. A %7 member delegation led by .hairman) Apparel 8Dport 4romotion .ouncil visited .ape -own on ## #3 March) 70#3 for India .lothing and -eDtile -rade Show. #ulture Gith the help of the Indian .ouncil for .ultural :elations "I..:') an intensive programme of cultural eDchanges is organised throughout South Africa including scholarships for South African nationals. In addition to such cultural programming) a KShared 6istories 1estival organi,ed as a public private partnership is also held) which held its fourth edition in 70#0. -he 1ifth edition of the KShared 6istories 1estival was underway in September 70##. -he SA Minister of Arts ? .ulture Mr. 4allo 2ordan visited India in /ecember 700= during which he also inaugurated a major South African art eDhibition. Mrs. Ambika Soni) Minister for -ourism and .ulture visited South Africa in August 700F and signed the 4rogramme of .ooperation "4A.' in Arts and .ulture for 700F 70##. A 1estival of India in South Africa was jointly organi,ed by /epartment of Arts and .ulture South Africa and 6igh .ommission in 4retoria during 2une August 70## ? a 1estival of South Africa in India was organi,ed in 1ebruary April 70#3 under the 4A.. -he $th Gorld 6indi .onference was held in September 70#7 at 2ohannesburg. I3'# In 1J 70#3 #%) under I-8.) #00 slots have been allocated to South Africa. Indian #ommunit7 -he major part of the Indian origin community came to South Africa from #F&0 onwards as farm labour to serve as field hands and mill operatives in the sugar and other agricultural plantations of +atal "which was then a 5ritish colony'. Most of these initial migrants were from -amil +adu and Andhra 4radesh with some from eastern *4 and 5ihar. A second wave of Indians came after #FF0. -hese were the Lpassenger IndiansM N so called because they paid their fares as

passengers on board a steamship bound for South Africa. -his was the community of traders who mainly hailed from Gujarat. -oday) the South African Indian origin community numbers around #.9 million and constitutes about 3O of South Africas total population. About F0O of the Indian community lives in the province of Hwa<ulu +atal) about #9O in the Gauteng "previously -ransvaal' area and the remaining 9O in .ape -own. South Africans of Indian origin are well represented in Government) business) media) legal and other professions. -he year 70#0 marked the #90 th anniversary of the first arrival of Indians in South Africa. 88888 "ul7 ,-10