India Burkina Faso Relations

The cordial relations between India and Burkina Faso was established in 1976. It began with the country’s Commerce and Industry minister visit to India in 1976.

Mr. Narasimha Rao was the first PM to visit Burkina Faso in 1995. He inaugurated new Indian embassy that was eventually closed in 2002. India launched farmer’s project in the country for three years 1999 – 2002. India demonstrated the practices of rice growing, use of tractors, hand tools, etc. It trained the local farmers in technology, fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, etc.

India exports 112 USD (2017) worth goods to Burkina Faso and imports 151 USD (2017) from the country. The exports include vehicles, spare parts, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel machinery, rubber, mechanical appliances, etc. The goods imported from Burkina Faso are cotton and gold.

The business interaction between the countries gained momentum in the recent past. Burkina Faso participated in India – Africa partnership conclave in New Delhi in 2008. Following this, it also participated in CII Conclave in 2009.

India has setup 6 vocational training centers in Africa. One of them is located in Burkina Faso. It has also set up soil and water tissue testing laboratories under decisions taken in India Africa Union summit. The country is also a part of the Pan African E – Network Project. In 2008, India approved a line of credit for rural electrification. In 2010, it set up a tomato processing factory. Around 135 buses were delivered to universities and higher education institutes.

India’s trade deficit with the country has risen in the past. It was 1.3 million USD in 2001 which has increased to 444 million USD.

Around 200 to 300 Indians reside in Burkina Faso. They are engaged in manufacturing, trade, cotton and gold industries.