New Delhi / Mbabane – July 20, 2025: India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, concluded a three‑day official mission to the Kingdom of Eswatini (July 17–20). The visit underscored Eswatini’s expanding regional importance and the deepening of India–Eswatini ties. The minister held discussions with His Majesty King Mswati III, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, and several key ministers—including Foreign Affairs, Health, Agriculture, Energy, and Economic Planning—covering cooperation across agriculture, health, education, energy, and technology sectors.
Eswatini, though home to just over 1.2 million people, plays a pivotal role in Southern Africa’s economic architecture. It is a member of SACU, SADC, and COMESA, which together link it with regional markets of tens to hundreds of millions of consumers and offer duty‑free or preferential trading access across Southern and Eastern Africa. In 2021, trade represented over 90% of Eswatini’s GDP, making it one of the most export‑dependent economies in the region. Its domestic exports are largely driven by sugar, textiles, soft-drink concentrates, and chemical products, many of which enjoy preferential treatment under EU–SADC EPA and US AGOA agreements.
A key moment during Margherita’s visit was his tour of the Royal Science and Technology Park, developed with a USD 20 million line of credit from India. He described it as “another milestone in the India–Eswatini development partnership”. He also met with Prince Lonkhokhela, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, to explore deeper collaboration in Eswatini’s energy sector, and with Agriculture Minister Mandla Tshawuka on strengthening joint work in agriculture and mechanisation.
On the trade front, India and Eswatini have maintained Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status since 2002, laying the groundwork for a rising trade relationship. According to the High Commission of India in Mbabane, India’s exports to Eswatini rose from about USD 18.6 million in 2019–20 to around USD 21.3 million in 2023–24, primarily in pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, machinery, and fuel products. India’s imports from Eswatini showed volatility—ranging from USD 7 million to a peak of USD 234.98 million in 2021–22—mostly comprising organic chemicals and industrial goods.
Eswatini’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy (2024–2028) aims for an annual regional export growth rate of at least 10%, emphasising MSME readiness, export diversification, and value‑chain integration across Africa. This initiative positions Eswatini as a gateway for regional exports and industrialisation under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
The country is also leveraging its preferential access to global markets; under the EU–SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Eswatini has duty‑free, quota‑free access to the EU, with around USD 114 million in untapped export potential. Export growth initiatives under this program have supported thousands of small enterprises—especially those led by youth and women—in sectors like textiles, food processing, and crafts, resulting in over 2,200 jobs created so far.
During the visit, MoS Margherita also led an ICCR scholarship award ceremony and met with the Indian diaspora in Mbabane, further strengthening people-to-people ties. India continues to award 30 scholarships annually for Eswatini nationals under its Africa Scholarship Scheme.
In combining infrastructure projects, scholarship programs, policy dialogue, and commercial engagement, the visit affirmed India’s position as a committed development partner. Eswatini’s alignment with regional trade architectures, export diversification goals, and strategic location makes it a compelling partner in India’s evolving Africa strategy. As the two nations build on shared interests in innovation, energy, and agriculture, Eswatini’s importance as a gateway to Southern African markets is set to grow.
