At the 20th CII India-Africa Conclave, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal set a target to double bilateral trade to over $160 billion by 2030. Current trade stands at $82 billion, with India exporting $42.7 billion and importing $40 billion.

Regionally, West Africa leads with $24 billion, followed by the South African Customs Union ($20 billion), East Africa ($16 billion), and Central Africa ($2.6 billion). Goyal stressed complementarity—Africa supplying minerals, petroleum, and agriculture, while India offers automobiles, pharmaceuticals, IT, and agri-tech.

Logistics was flagged as a key enabler, with calls to cut non-tariff barriers and boost connectivity. India’s digital solutions like UPI were highlighted for reducing transaction costs. The conclave urged scaling trade as a model for South-South cooperation.