The third session of the India-Uganda Joint Trade Committee (JTC) has concluded in New Delhi, India, with both sides expressing a renewed commitment towards strengthening bilateral trade relations.
The meeting was jointly organised by the Uganda High Commission in New Delhi and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India.
The previous session of the JTC was held in Kampala in 2002.
The session in New Delhi was opened by Mr. Ajay Bhadoo, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the government of the Republic of India who noted that despite the positive postings of trade between the two countries, there was a great deal of unexploited potential that required concerted efforts for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration in sectors such as e-commerce, MSME cluster development, pharmaceuticals, solar energy, and rural electrification among others.
The JTC meeting was co-chaired by Ms. Priya P Nair, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, on behalf of Government of India while the Uganda multi-sectoral delegation was led by Ambassador Elly Kamahungye Kafeero, Head of International Political Cooperation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Uganda.
The Ugandan delegation comprised of Ambassador Professor Joyce Kikafunda Kakuramatsi, Uganda’s High Commissioner to India; Major General Apollo Kasiita Gowa, Director Citizenship & Immigration Control, Ministry of Internal Affairs; Mr. Patrick Joram Mugisha, Commissioner Business Development and Quality Control, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives; Eng. James Kasigwa, Executive Director, Ugandan National Bureau of Standards along with officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; Ministry of Works and Transport; Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; Ministry of ICT & National Guidance; Uganda Civil Aviation Authority; Uganda Airlines and Uganda High Commission, New Delhi.
The Co-Chairs in their opening remarks acknowledged the excellent existing bilateral relationship between the two countries, manifested through exchange of visits at the highest levels, deep rooted historical and cultural ties and vibrant people to people contact through trade and investment.
They emphasized that the Joint Trade Committee (JTC) should be effectively used for discussing the Trade and other Investment issues and other matters of mutual cooperation.
The meeting that took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere acknowledged that the current bilateral trade volume of US$ 1.3 billion did not represent the full potential of their partnership.
Both sides committed to taking focused measures to expand and diversify bilateral trade.
To this end they discussed the establishment of an India-Uganda Joint Business Forum to facilitate and enhance government to government, government to business and business to business engagements between the two countries.
The discussions identified key sectors to boost trade and investment, including minerals, coffee, cocoa products, pulses, spices, dairy products, essential oils, plastic raw materials, fruits, vegetables, and residual chemical products.
Additionally, cooperation in mining, banking, digital infrastructure, MSME development, health, pharmaceuticals, electric vehicles, critical minerals--including Rare Earth Elements (REE)--and petrochemicals was highlighted as a priority.
Both countries discussed means of amplifying collaboration and agreed to studying and concluding of exchanged draft Memoranda of Understanding in the fields of Public Works and Infrastructure, BASA; Agriculture and Allied sectors; ICT; Standards; Waiver of visas for holders of Ordinary Passports; as well as renewal of the MoU on Regional Materials Laboratory that expired in January 2025.
They further agreed to explore and or initiate cooperation through exchange of draft MoU on the recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia; Traditional Medicine, Tele-medicine, Special Economic Zones and investment promotion.
As part of the visit, the Ugandan delegation also toured the Noida Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to gain insights into India's industrial and export ecosystem.
The deliberations at the third session of the India-Uganda JTC were forward-looking and indicative of the growing economic partnership between the two countries.
Both sides expressed strong interest in piggy banking on the excellent political relations to deepen trade and investment cooperation.