While trade between South Africa and India has grown at “a steady pace” – from R80 billion in 2013 to R107 billion in 2017 – there is still “considerable scope” for the two countries to grow their bilateral relationship. With this in mind the two sides signed the Three-Year Strategic Programme of Cooperation (2019-2021) which was aimed at further enhancing their strategic partnership, said president Cyril Ramaphosa after returning from his state visit to India over the weekend. “While India is currently our second largest trading partner in Asia and ranks among our top 10 trading partners, there are a number of areas of future cooperation.” He said that the two countries could cooperate in areas such as agro-processed goods, defence procurement, mining equipment and technology, as well as the financial services sector. Ramaphosa said the three-year programme would ensure that “a resultsorientated partnership” benefited the people of both countries”.
