India – Tunisia Bilateral Relations

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India – Tunisia Bilateral Relations

                     India has traditionally maintained cordial and friendly relations with Tunisia since establishment of diplomatic relations in 1958.   The first resident Mission at the level of Cd’A was established in Tunisia in 1963 and raised to the Ambassador level in 1976.  The Tunisian Embassy in New Delhi was set up in 1981.  Tunisian leaders have expressed admiration for India’s democracy and its leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.  India’s freedom struggle has served an inspiration for Tunisia.  Linguistic and cultural affiliations play a significant role in fostering India-Tunisia relations, as both countries share a rich history of interaction through language, art, and shared influences from ancient civilizations.

Both the countries have been cooperating on many common causes in international fora including the UN and have been supporting each other’s candidatures for several international bodies, including the non-permanent memberships of UNSC. 

Exchange of High Level Visits

The following notable exchange of high-level visits highlight the ongoing diplomatic and bilateral engagement between Tunisia and India:  

Tunisian dignitaries to India:  Several high-level visits from Tunisia to India have taken place over the years. In November 1982, the First Lady of Tunisia, Wassila Bourguiba, visited India, followed by Prime Minister Mohamed Mzali in January 1983.  In March 1991, Foreign Minister Habib Boulares made a visit, which was followed by another visit from Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahiya in March 2000.  Foreign Minister Mr. Taieb Baccouche visited India in March 2015 to attend the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit. Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui led the Tunisian delegation for the 12th session of the India-Tunisia Joint Commission held in New Delhi in October 2017.

Indian Dignitaries to Tunisia:  In July 1964, Vice-President Shri Zakir Hussain visited Tunisia, followed by Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi in April 1984, and Vice-President Shri M. Hidayatullah in May 1984.  Prime Minister Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao visited along with Dr. Najma Heptullah, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in November 1992.  In November 1999, Former Prime Minister Shri I.K. Gujral also paid a visit to Tunisia.

Ministerial Visits from India: In addition to the VVIP visits, several Ministerial visits have taken place between the two countries. In 2000, Shri A.K. Panja, former Minister of State for External Affairs, participated in the 8th Joint Commission Meeting, and in June 2003, Textiles Minister Shri Kashi Ram Rana visited Tunisia. Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister for Science and Technology, visited in 2005, followed by Minister for Communications and IT, Shri Dayanidhi Maran, who led a high-level delegation in November of the same year.  Other notable ministerial visits include Shri E. Ahmed, Minister of State for External Affairs, in 2012, and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid’s visit in February 2014, which marked the first-ever visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Tunisia. In 2016, Vice President Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari’s visit led to key agreements being signed, and in 2017, Shri M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs, and Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, also visited Tunisia.

Visit of EAM: In January 2020, EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Tunisia and met Foreign Minister Mr. Sabri Bachtobji, President Kais Saied, and Speaker of the Parliament Rached Ghanouchi.  During this visit, an MoU was signed to establish the ‘India-Tunisia Centre for Innovation in ICT’ in Tunis.

Bilateral Dialogue Mechanisms

Joint Commission Meeting (JCM):  The bilateral cooperation between India and Tunisia is governed by a Ministerial level Joint Commission.  The last (12th) JCM was held in New Delhi at the level of Foreign Minister. A delegation led by the Tunisian FM Khemaies Jhinaoui visited New Delhi in October 2017.  A business delegation from Tunisia also accompanied the Tunisian FM held business meetings with CII, FICCI and FIEO.  The next session of JCM is proposed to be held in 2025.

Foreign Office Consultations:  Since 2001, five sessions of Foreign Office Consultations at Secretary-level have taken place.  The 5th Session (last) of FOC was held in Tunis in May 2023 .  The next session of FOC is proposed to be held in 2025.

Joint Working Groups (JWGs): There are several Joint Working Groups (JWGs) between India and Tunisia to promote bilateral cooperation in various areas, including Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, Science and Technology, Information and Communication Technology, Small and Medium Enterprises, Textiles, Oil and Natural Gas, Judicial Cooperation, Space Cooperation, and Trade Cooperation.

Support at Multilateral & UN Institutions: In view of the warm and friendly ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, Tunisia has been supporting India’s candidature in various forums of UN Institutions and Multilateral umbrella under UN in the past.  Tunisia actively participated in the "Voice of Global South" Summit (VOGSS), with former Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi representing the country in January 2023.  Minister of Education Mohamed Ali Boughdiri joined the Education Minister’s Session of VOGSS 2.0 in November 2023.  Tunisia also participated in the Energy and IT sessions during VOGSS 3.0 in August 2024.

Capacity Building and specialized training:

Since 2014, under the India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program, we have provided training to 667 Tunisian nationals across various courses, with an additional 197 Tunisians attending e-ITEC courses between 2020 and 2023.  04 Tunisian nationals have received ICCR scholarships for higher education since 2017-18, and 26 others have benefited from the CV Raman Scholarship offered by the Department of Science & Technology since 2009.

In 2018, a group of 50 young Tunisian diplomats participated in a special two-week training program at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in India. Following the stand-alone Counter-Terrorism dialogue in January 2018, Tunisian security officers took part in specialized training on tactical driving and bomb disposal organized by the NSG at its Manesar training center. Additionally, in April 2019, 22 senior Tunisian administrators completed a tailored training program on e-governance and cyber security at the Indian Institute of Public Administration in New Delhi.

Cooperation under India-Africa Forum Summit

Under an initiative by the African Union Commission, the Institute Pasteur of Tunis (IPT) is one of three institutes selected for support by the Indian scientific community to address specific challenges facing the African continent. A close cooperation program has been established between IPT and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New Delhi, focusing on capacity building in vaccine research and production. Since June 2014, IPT and ICGEB have been in a twinning arrangement for research, training, and capacity building, with further discussions on cooperation taking place during the 4th Session of the India-Tunisia JWG on S&T in March 2017.  Tunisia is offered various training programs under the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS).

Quick Impact Projects (QIPs):  The Mission has successfully completed two "Quick Impact Projects" (QIPs) in Tunisia. The first QIP involved the landscaping and beautification of a park at Jendouba University, which includes a bust of Mahatma Gandhi.  The second QIP focused on creating a play area at Mreghma School in Jendouba City.  A third QIP, still under progress, is the construction of a mini synthetic football ground for Raoued Municipality in Ariana.  All projects are located in remote and underprivileged areas of Tunisia, aiming to improve the quality of life for local communities.

Tunisia-India Centre for Innovation in ICT

An MOU for establishment of Tunisia-India Centre for Innovation in ICT in Tunis by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) was signed during visit of EAM in January, 2020.  The Centre of Excellence is proposed to be set up in El Ghazala Technopark and is expected to support the technological capabilities in Tunisia and foster advanced computing initiatives in the region.  

Bilateral Trade

The major items of Tunisian exports to India include inorganic chemicals and fertilizers. India accounts for around 50% of Tunisia’s global phosphoric acid (HS 280920) exports.  Other exports from Tunisia to India include textiles, citrus fruits, electrical items, olive oil, dates and seafood. 

On the other hand, the major items that Indian exports to Tunisia are Vehicles (HS Code: 87) including cars, cycles, tractor, knocked down kits, Iron and steel (HS Code: 72), fish, organic chemicals and machinery.  Other exports from India to Tunisia include pharmaceuticals, cotton and food items (rice, coffee, sugar, tea and spices).

As per Tunisian National Institute of Statistics, the total bilateral trade in 2024 was around US$ 756.04 Million, with India exporting goods worth $ 608.77 million and importing goods worth US$147.2 million from Tunisia.  

The export-import statistics for the last five Financial years as per Department of Commerce, GOI:
In US$ million

Source: Department of Commerce, GOI

India-Tunisia Joint Venture

A joint venture to produce Phosphoric Acid was established between the two Tunisian state-owned companies, viz Companies des Phosphates de Gafsa (CPG) and Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT) and two Indian companies viz Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (GSFC) and Coromandel International Limited.  The plant was established in Skhira in September 2006 and the joint venture was incorporated in the name of Tunisia India Fertilizers (TIFERT).   The plant became operational in 2013.  The two Indian companies hold 15% share each in the USD 465 million project with balance 70% being held by CPG and GCT with expectation to produce 360,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid annually. 

Indian companies in Tunisia

Two major companies M/s Larsen & Toubro and Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited are currently undertaking power transmission lines projects in Tunisia for Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG).   Earlier M/s KEC International Ltd and Jyoti Structures Ltd were in Tunisia for over a decade and have completed similar projects. 

An assembly plant of Mahindra pickup trucks was established in Sousse (Tunisia) in 2013 in partnership with Zouari Group. Mahindra tractors, Mahindra XUV 300 are also being sold in the local market.   M/s TATA Motors commenced production of pick-up trucks with Tunisian companies ‘Le Moteur’ and ‘Icar’ in June 2015.  TATA’s flagship Tunisian model ‘TATA Xenon’ is also very popular in Tunisia.   

An Indian multinational M/s. VA Tech WABAG has completed the project of setting up Zarat Desalination Plant in south of Gabes in Tunisia.  The  plant was inaugurated by the Tunisian President in July 2024.

Culture and People to People Connect    

India and Tunisia share a vibrant cultural relationship.  In May 2023, a revised Cultural Exchange Program for 2023-2027 was signed, as part of which, cultural troupes from each side regularly visit and engage with the other, fostering deeper cultural ties.  Some of the significant cultural activities undertaken by the Mission since 2014 are as under:

• An 8 member Sufi fusion group sponsored by ICCR staged 2 performances in Tunis in Sept 2014. 

• An Indian Cultural group, performers of Bhangra dance, visited Tunisia in April 2015 and staged three performances at several places.

• On the occasion of the 1st International Day of Yoga, a large group session of yoga was held for the first time ever in Tunis on 21 June 2015. Mission has been organizing yoga events since 2015 to celebrate International Days of Yoga in Tunisia.  These events attract large number of Tunisian participants. 

• An ICCR sponsored exhibition ‘Monuments of India’ and ‘Islamic Monuments of India’ was held in Kairouan City in December 2015.

•   India participated as Guest of Honour at the 33rd edition of the Handicrafts Exhibition organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts in Tunis in April-May 2016. 

• A 7 member ICCR sponsored instrumental music group participated in the Jendouba Theatre Festival in April 2016. The group staged 3 performances in the governorate of Jendouba. 

• At the invitation of the Tunisian Ministry of Culture, the ICCR sponsored 6 member Kathak Group visited Tunisia in October-November and participated in the Carthage Intl. Film Festival. 

• The first-ever ICCR chair on Indian civilization was established for one month at the University of Manouba in Tunis in February-March 2017.  A former Director of National Archives of India taught Indian civilization, evolution of ancient, medieval and modern Indian history to PG students of Manouba University.

• As part of celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Tunisia, a Festival of India in Tunisia was held in 2018 that showcased India’s culture, food, cinema and rich traditions.  Two food festivals sponsored by ITDC were organized in 2018 in Tunisia.  In all, nine cultural groups sponsored by Ministry of Culture of India and ICCR visited Tunisia in 2018 and performed at different places including the prestigious summer cultural festival in Sousse and El Djem.

• A symposium on Gandhian philosophy was organized on 2nd October 2018 to mark 150th birth anniversary. A commemorative postage stamp on Mahatma Gandhi was released by Tunis Post in November 2018.

• In November, 2018 India participated as Guest of Honour and Focus International partner at the prestigious Carthage Film Festival for the first time since its inception in 1966. In all, 8 Indian films including two films by Satyajit Ray were screened in the festival.  A Manipuri cultural group from ICCR was also invited.   Two Tunisian films were also screened at the International Film Festival of India, Goa in November 2018.   Tunisia was a partner country at the Kolkata Film Festival held in Kolkata from 10-17 November 2018.

• There are two busts of Mahatma Gandhi in Tunisia located at Manouba University, Tunis (unveiled in 2016) and Jendouba University (unveiled in 2020).  In May 2019, the first-ever Gandhi Udyan was inaugurated in Riadh Ennasr (Ariana governorate) as part of the city's initiative to build partnership with India in various cultural, social and environmental fields. 

• A Teacher of Indian Culture (TIC) was deployed by ICCR from 2018 to 2021, who conducted regular yoga classes in the Chancery premises and at other places.

• A group of Tunisian theatre artists participated in the International Theatre Festival of Kerala from 9-16 February 2024 hosted by the Government of Kerala.   

• In October 2024, the Tunisia-India Friendship Association was formed. This Association includes 14 members with Mr. Jamel Boujdaria as the President.   TIFA aims at strengthening bilateral cultural and tourism cooperation.

• Tunisian artisans have also been participating in Surajkund Mela since 2016.  A Tunisian delegation, including 04 artisans from various craft enterprises and 02 officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, participated in the 38th Surajkund Crafts Mela held in February 2025 in Haryana.

Indian Community:

The permanent Indian community consists of a couple of families who have been here since several decades. As per records available in the Mission, the strength of the Indian community is around 200, which includes Indian professionals working in various projects and Indian businessmen.  There are around 25 Indian students undertaking various courses. 

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(April 2025)

Useful resources:
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