Strategic Level Partnership

Bilateral relations between India and Rwanda have been growing stronger and stronger over the years. In 1999, Rwanda officially opened its Mission in New Delhi and posted a Charge d’ Affaires. Rwanda appointed its first resident Ambassador in New Delhi in 2001.

The relations reached a new high in January 2017 with the first ever official visit of the Head of State of Rwanda to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the bilateral meeting, the President of Rwanda and the Prime Minister of India agreed to raise the relations between Rwanda and India to strategic level partnership. This is a privileged level of partnership that India reserves for a small select country (only Rwanda and South Africa in Africa).

The bilateral cooperation between India and Rwanda has grown to cover a broad range of areas including development cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, education, training and capacity building. It has expanded beyond development cooperation to include defense and security.

India has until now been represented to Rwanda by the Indian High Commissioner with Residence in Kampala. India has now opened a resident Mission in Kigali and the first High Commissioner designate Amb. Oscar Kerkettahas been appointed and accorded agreement by Rwanda. This is a very important step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

Today, Rwanda imports goods worthy over USD$ 130 million from India, including mostly pharmaceutical products, Iron and steel and machinery and equipment. There is potential for Rwanda to export coffee, tea, spices, essential oils and pulses to India which needs to be actively explored.

Vision, Mission, and Mandate

Vision

To promote good relations based on respect, mutual interests and complementarity between Rwanda and India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives; with an aim to enhancing peace, security and development.

Mission

To contribute to the implementation of Rwanda’s Foreign Policy.

Mandate

Promoting and protecting interests of Rwanda along with those of the Rwandans Living in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Recent High-Level Visits

Indian and Rwanda enjoy high level contacts and have exchanged bilateral visits at the highest level.

Visits from India to Rwanda:

  • From 23–24 July 2018: Rt. Hon. Narendra Modi made the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Rwanda. The visit was a historical landmark in the relations between two countries and the visit yielded abundant outcomes in terms of bilateral cooperation programmes and projects. 
  • From 19–21 February 2017: The then Vice President of India H.E. Mohammad Hamid Ansari visited Rwanda. This was the first ever official visit of an Indian Vice President to Rwanda. During the visit, the Vice President called on the President of Rwanda and had meetings with President of Rwandan Senate and the Prime Minister of Rwanda.  He also interacted with the Indian community at a reception hosted by the High Commissioner, attended a business forum event organized by Rwanda Development Board where representatives from FICCI also participated. An innovators exhibition was also inaugurated by him along with Prime Minister of Rwanda.  He addressed students of the University of Rwanda.
  • October 2016: Shri Anil Madhav Dave, Minister of State of Environment, Forest and Climate Change visited Rwanda to participate in the 28th Meeting of the Montreal Protocol.
  • July 2015: Shri Sudarshan Bhagat, the Minister of State for Rural Development visited Rwanda as PM’s Special Envoy to extend invitation to the President and the Foreign Minister of Rwanda for IAFS-III.
  • January 2015: Shri Kalraj Mishra, Hon’ble Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises visited Kigali to inaugurate the Vocational Training Institute set-up under GOI assistance.
  • November 2013: Shri K.H. Muniyappa, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, led a business delegation to Kigali to participate in Technical and Vocational Education and Training Expo and Symposium.
  • February 2012: A high-level delegation led by Smt. Preneet Kaur, Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs visited Rwanda. The Minister was accompanied by a multi-sectoral CII business delegation.
  • May 2011: Shri Arun Yadav, Hon’ble Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries visited Rwanda in to advance and strengthen sectoral cooperation.

Visits from Rwanda to India:

  • December 2023: Hon. Vincent Biruta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, visited India. The visit aimed to strengthen the current partnership between Rwanda and India across different areas and to explore new avenues of cooperation.
  • March 2018: H.E Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, visited India to participate in the International Solar Alliance Summit. He met and held bilateral discussions with Rt. Hon. Narendra Modi.
  • From 8 – 11 July 2018: Hon. Bernard Makuza, President of the Senate of Rwanda visited India with a delegation of Senators at the invitation of H.E. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India and Chairperson of Rajya Sabha, the Indian Upper House of Parliament. He also met Hon. Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker of Lok Sabha, the Lower Chamber of India’s Parliament.
  • January 2017: the President of Rwanda held the first ever Official visit to India and participated in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He also met and held fruitful bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Narendra Modi.
  • October 2015: Former Rwandan Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Anastase Murekezi visited India to participate in the India-Africa Forum Summit – III.
  • November 2014: the President visited New Delhi to participate in the India Economic Forum. During the Visit, The President met the Hon’ble President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
  • From 17-19 March 2013: Hon’ble Minister of Trade and Industry, Francis Kanimba, led a business delegation to the 9th CII- EXIM Bank conclave to New Delhi.
  • January 2013: Dr Agnes Matilda Kalibata, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources visited India in at the invitation of Hon’ble Minister of Water Resources.
  • October 2012: Hon. Speaker of Parliament of Rwanda Ms. Rose Mukantabana attended the 7th Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament held in New Delhi.
  • April 2012: Gen. James Kaberebe, Minister of Defence led a three-member delegation to India to attend DefExpo India 2012. During the visit, he met Hon. Defence Minister of India and discussed possible future cooperation between the two countries in the field of defence.
  • October 2011: Hon. Bernard Makuza again led a 25-member business delegation to India in to explore new investment opportunities.
  • January 2011: Former Rwandan Prime Minister Bernard Makuza participated in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in. During the visit he called on the then Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh.
  • January 2009: the President again visited New Delhi to participate in the India-Africa Business Forum organized by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as the Chief Guest.
  • December 2002: H.E Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda visited India and received an Honorary Doctorate fromVellore Institute of Technology.

Bilateral Agreements and MoUs between Rwanda and India

There exist a great deal of Bilateral Agreements and MoUs between the Government of Rwanda and the Government of India. In addition, the High Commission of Rwanda in India has signed various MoUs with different Indian Companies and Institutions.

General Agreement on Bilateral Cooperation - Signed on 8th March 2003.

The agreement consists of strengthening bilateral cooperation in various sectors including Economic, Technical, Social, Judicial, Political, Security and Cultural Cooperation.

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Agreement on exemption from visa requirement - Signed on 20th February 2017.

The Agreement relates to the citizen of either contracting party, who is in possession of a valid diplomatic or official passport.

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Agreement on the establishment of a Joint Commission - Signed on 15th February 2012.

To promote cooperation in Political, Security, Social, human resource development, economic, cultural, scientific and judicial areas.

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Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) - Signed on 20th February 2017.

The agreement grants rights and operational framework for the carriers of the two countries.

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MoU on Cooperation in Defence field - Signed on 23rd July 2018

Areas of cooperation include exchange of military experience; participation in courses, military training and other military activities.

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Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture and Animal resources - Signed on 23rd July 2018

Cooperation in Agriculture and livestock with strong emphasis on research, technological development, capacity building and human resource development

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