“We want to attract more Indian companies to invest in Zimbabwe”

Interviews \ DIPLOMATIC INTERVIEW

“We want to attract more Indian companies to invest in Zimbabwe”

Zimbabwe, a picturesque, landlocked nation of about 14 million people in the southern part of Africa. Zimbabwe has 16 official languages with English, Shona and Ndebele being the most commonly used. The country’s trade ties with India can be traced back to the 14th century during the time of the Munhumutapa Kingdom. India supported Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle against British colonisation. Zimbabwe cricketing ties with India go back to over three decades, and it is not easy to forget the Tunbridge Wells Bridge match of World Cup 1983. H.E. Mr Maxwell Ranga, Ambassador of Zimbabwe to India speaks to India Empire Editor Sayantan Chakravarty...

What is extent of exports from India to Zimbabwe, and what are the main items involved?

Indian exports to Zimbabwe are mainly small scale equipment, transport equipment and motor vehicles, organic and agro chemicals, textiles, generic drugs and pharmaceuticals including family planning drugs.

What is the extent of exports from Zimbabwe to India, and what are the main items involved?

Zimbabwe exports to India are mainly crude/raw minerals, precious stones, jewellery, textiles, furniture, plastics and rubber, dying and non-ferrous metals.

Has the presence of the Indian community, mainly from Gujarat, added value and strengthened the Zimbabwean economy?

The Indian community in Zimbabwe plays its share in shaping the social, economic and political fabric of Zimbabwe. The 10,000 strong Indian community who are Zimbabwean citizens are mainly in retail trade and export-import including the transportation business. Some of them are members of the ruling Zanu PF party and the Politburo, others serve and have served in the Judiciary (High Court and Supreme Court) and also in the diplomatic service as Ambassadors.

What is your vision for taking Zimbabwe-India relations to the next level?

Our broad objective is to attract Indian companies to go into partnership with the Zimbabwe Government in investing in the country’s energy, infrastructure and agricultural sectors in line with Zimbabwe’s economic blue-print; Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation (ZIM-ASSET). In line with Zimbabwe’s Look East Policy, we will strive to strengthen and deepen economic co-operation with India with the overall objective of increasing the volume of trade from its current USD 180 million to over a billion dollars in the not-so-distant future.