India, Jordan aim to double trade to $5 billion over the next five years

The two sides finalised agreements in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and a twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora

During his two-day visit to Jordan, which concluded on Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed that the two countries should aim to double their bilateral trade to $5 billion over the next five years.

 

The two sides also discussed cooperation in production of fertilisers. “Jordan is an important supplier of fertilisers to India, and companies on both sides are in discussions for further substantive investment in Jordan to meet growing demand for phosphatic fertiliser in India,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a readout of the PM’s meeting with Jordanian King King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, which took place on Monday evening.

 

The two leaders met in restricted and delegation-level formats. They discussed deepening bilateral engagement in the fields of trade and investment, defence and security; renewable energy; fertiliser and agriculture, digital technologies, critical minerals, infrastructure, health and pharmaceuticals.

 

Addressing the India-Jordan Business Forum on Tuesday in Amman, the Jordanian King noted that Jordan’s Free Trade Agreements and India’s economic power could be combined to create an economic corridor between South Asia and West Asia and beyond.

 

The PM proposed doubling bilateral trade with Jordan to $ 5billion over the next five years, and highlighted opportunities for collaboration in the fields of digital public infrastructure, fintech, health-tech and agri-tech. He said that India’s strength in pharma and medical devices sectors and Jordan’s geographical advantage could complement each other and make the west Asian nation a reliable hub for West Asia and Africa in these fields.

 

The two sides finalised agreements in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora. A joint statement issued after the talks noted the current India-Jordan bilateral trade at $2.3 billion for 2024 makes India the third largest trading partner for Jordan, but stressed the need to diversify the trade basket. The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of enhancing direct connectivity between the two countries.

 

At the end of his two-day visit, the PM said on Tuesday that his talks with King Abdullah II have strengthened India-Jordan partnership across key areas, including renewable energy, water management, digital transformation, cultural exchanges, and heritage cooperation.

 

A highlight of the PM’s visit was Jordanian Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Tuesday personally driving him to the Jordan Museum in Amman. In a social media post, Modi said he is “grateful” to Al-Hussein for showing him different aspects of Jordan’s history and culture at the museum.

 

The Prime Minister said he has “interacted extensively” with the Crown Prince and “his passion towards Jordan’s progress is clearly visible”. “His contributions to areas such as youth development, sports, space, innovation and furthering the welfare of persons with disabilities are truly remarkable,” Modi said, wishing Al-Hussein in his pursuits to strengthen Jordan’s growth trajectory. The Crown Prince is a 42nd-generation direct descendant of Prophet Mohammad, sources pointed out.

 

Modi arrived in Jordan’s capital, Amman, on Monday on a two-day visit at the invitation of King Abdullah II. Jordan was the first leg of the PM’s four-day, three-nation tour. He landed in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Tuesday evening. Oman will be the last leg of his visit.