India calls for aligning standards, customs procedures with Africa

The $3.4-trillion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents immense opportunities to create resilient partnerships, diversify supply chains and move beyond raw material trade towards higher-value manufacturing and integrated value chains, he told a curtain raiser event for the forthcoming India-Africa Business Dialogue (IABD) and Exhibition.

Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal yesterday called for aligning standards and customs procedures with Africa to boost trade.
The AfCFTA presents immense opportunities to move towards higher-value manufacturing and integrated value chains, he said.
Goyal said renewable energy, green hydrogen, green ammonia, electric mobility, digitalisation and telecom are key sectors to boost cooperation.

The minister “emphasised the need to build upon existing trade ties and preferential trade frameworks by aligning standards, customs procedures and business practices to facilitate faster and smarter growth for businesses on both sides”, the Ministry of Commerce said in a release.

Stressing that nearly two-thirds of the population of India and Africa is below 35, he called for greater focus on skilling, start-ups, innovation ecosystems and talent development to prepare the workforce for industries of the future.

Goyal said renewable energy, green hydrogen, green ammonia, electric mobility, digitalisation and telecommunications are key sectors to boost cooperation.

India-Africa trade reached $93.69 billion in fiscal 2025-26, seeing a 14.39-per cent growth year on year. India’s exports to Africa stood at $45.42 billion, while imports were worth $48.27 billion during the period.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)