India and Mali Launch First Export Promotion Forum to Strengthen Trade and Investment Ties

India and Mali have launched the India-Mali Forum for the Promotion of Exports in Bamako. This two-day forum marks the first institutionalization of bilateral trade cooperation and comes as trade between the two countries crossed US$326.61 million in the FY 2025-26 and also registered 55% year on year growth. It brings together government officials and business leaders, and this forum aims to unlock new opportunities in trade, investment, manufacturing and infrastructure.

What Is the India-Mali Forum for the Promotion of Exports?

The India-Mali Forum for the Promotion of Exports is a new bilateral platform which is designed to enhance trade, investment and commercial cooperation between the two countries.

It was held under the theme “Reinforcing Trade and Strategic Partnerships,” and the inaugural forum was took place in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

It was jointly organized by,

• Ministry of Industry and Trade of Mali
• Embassy of India in Bamako
• Malian Agency for the Promotion of Exports (APEX-Mali)

The Indian delegation was led by Amit Kumar, Joint Secretary (FT-Africa), Department of Commerce, and Dr. N. Nandakumar, Ambassador of India to Mali, who represented the Indian Mission throughout the event.

This forum was presided over by Major General Abdoulaye Maïga, Prime Minister of the Mali’s Transition Government and it brought together around 30 Indian business leaders.

India-Mali Bilateral Trade Registers Strong Growth

The economic ties between India and Mali have strengthened considerably over the past year.

According to official figures,

• Bilateral trade has reached to US$326.61 million in FY 2025–26.
• Trade between both countries has recorded a 55% increase compared to the previous financial year.

This growth reflects the increasing commercial engagement supported by India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme, which provides preferential market access to least developed countries, including Mali.

Major Exports Between India and Mali

Trade between the two countries is based on the complementary strengths across the different sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and industry.

Mali’s Major Exports to India

• Raw cotton
• Finished leather
• Cashew
• Lead
• Gum arabic
• Sesame

India’s Major Exports to Mali

• Pharmaceuticals
• Cotton fabrics
• Two-wheelers
• Three-wheelers
• Bicycles

Business Meetings and Investment Discussions

A main feature of this forum was extensive interaction between the governments and industry representatives.

Delegates also participated in,

• Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings
• Business-to-Government (B2G) meetings
• Government-to-Government (G2G) discussions

These sessions also focused on converting investment opportunities into concrete business partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).

Priority Sectors Identified for Cooperation

Both countries have also agreed to expand the collaboration in several strategic sectors that offer strong economic potential.

These include,

• Cotton and Textiles
• Mining and Energy
• Agro-Industry and Shea Processing
• Pharmaceuticals
• Social Infrastructure

Digital Trade Facilitation and Investment Climate

The discussions between both nations has also covered measures to simplify trade procedures and it will improve the investment environment.

Mali has also requested India’s assistance in,

• Digitizing its Certificate of Origin system.
• Strengthening trade facilitation mechanisms.

Meanwhile, India emphasized,

Protection of the Indian nationals and investments.
Reconsideration of the Mali’s shea-nut export ban, which affects bilateral trade prospects.

Mali Announces Investment Forum in December 2026

The major outcome of the forum was that Mali announced that it will host the dedicated Investment Forum on 3-4 December 2026.

The event is expected to showcase the additional investment-ready projects across the different priority sectors and attract international investors.

This initiative also aligns with Vision Mali 2063, the country’s long-term development strategy which is aimed at transforming Mali into a regional investment and economic hub in West Africa.