New Delhi, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India and South Africa have taken a significant step towards strengthening bilateral economic ties with the signing of the Terms of Reference for negotiations on a proposed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), paving the way for expanded trade and investment between the two countries.
Bilateral trade between India and South Africa is currently valued at $18.01 billion. The proposed PTA is expected to create greater market access and open new opportunities across sectors including minerals, manufacturing, agriculture, food security, fertilisers, services and skilled manpower.
Speaking at the India-South Africa Business Forum, MP Dr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Member of the BRICS Business Council, said the proposed agreement could provide a major boost to economic engagement between the two countries.
“The agreement could become a transformational step in taking the economic partnership between India and South Africa to the next level,” Sahney said.
South African High Commissioner to India Prof. Anil Sooklal said India’s engagement with Africa had expanded across several fields and had evolved into a broad-based partnership covering trade, investment, technology, skills and development cooperation.
He said the proposed PTA had considerable potential to significantly expand trade and investment between India and South Africa, creating new opportunities for businesses and supporting economic growth in both countries.
Sahney said the relationship between India and South Africa was rooted in the shared legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, adding that the historic bond should now be translated into an even stronger economic partnership.
The India-South Africa Business Forum was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
The proposed PTA is expected to provide a framework for deeper commercial engagement and greater participation by businesses from both countries in emerging areas of mutual interest.
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