South African trade mission to Delhi targets gap with India in key sectors

Johannesburg,UPDATED: Sep 4, 2026 00:08 IST

A South African business delegation will visit New Delhi next week to explore ways to expand economic ties with India and address the trade imbalance between the two countries. The South African BRICS Business Council will attend the BRICS Business Council and Business Forum meetings in the capital on September 10 and 11, ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit.

The delegation will look at opportunities in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, digital services, agro-processing and renewable energy. Its focus will be on boosting higher-value exports from South Africa and securing investment partnerships as the two sides seek to move beyond a buyer-seller relationship.

The South African BRICS Business Council, formed in 2013, promotes trade, investment and public-private dialogue between South Africa and member countries, with a focus on industrialisation, green energy and African economic development. India remains one of South Africa's most significant BRICS+ trading partners, accounting for 20.8 per cent of the country's trade with the grouping in 2025.

However, South Africa recorded a trade deficit of about USD 3.18 billion. Its exports were dominated by coal, manganese and chemical wood pulp, while imports were concentrated in petroleum, vehicles, pharmaceuticals and machinery. The council said it would use the trade imbalance as a "commercial mandate" to expand higher-value exports, secure investment partnerships and push for co-investment, technology collaboration and greater market access.

Among the issues on the agenda are the use of Indian technology and capital to position South Africa as a regional automotive production hub, and partnerships in pharmaceuticals and medical devices to expand access across Africa. The two sides are also expected to explore skills-exchange programmes in information technology, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The delegation will also seek to promote South African agricultural products in the Indian market while examining the use of Indian processing and packaging technologies. Joint ventures in renewable energy and green hydrogen are also expected to be discussed.

SABBC Chairperson Busi Mabuza said the delegation would focus on turning discussions into "measurable transactions" through investment facilitation, business matchmaking and projects in energy, manufacturing, infrastructure and the digital economy. She said the African Continental Free Trade Area offered BRICS partners opportunities to invest in infrastructure, industrial projects and regional value chains. Mabuza also highlighted the role of the BRICS New Development Bank, saying it had approved more than R6.41 billion in financing for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in South Africa.

"India's next phase of growth requires partners that can offer resource security, African market access, industrial collaboration and innovation opportunities. South Africa has these advantages," she said. Mabuza said recalibrating the relationship towards higher-value exports, investment partnerships and knowledge transfer could help generate employment in South Africa, strengthen its industrial base and build resilient supply chains for both countries. In sum, the visit is aimed at widening trade and investment links while addressing South Africa's trade deficit with India through partnerships in key sectors.

With PTI Inputs

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