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Embassy of India
Monrovia (Liberia)
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Bilateral Brief : India-Liberia
Political
India and Liberia share long-standing friendly relations. Liberia has supported India’s candidature at various United Nations (UN) fora. The Government of India (GOI) opened a resident Mission in capital Monrovia in May, 2021. Opening of the new resident Mission has generated a lot of goodwill and scope for strengthening the already existing friendly relations. Prior to the opening of the Mission, Ambassador of India to Cote d’Ivoirewas concurrently accredited to Liberia with residence in Abidjan. Liberia does not have a resident Mission in New Delhi.
Mr. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr., assumed office as the 26th President of Liberia on 22 January, 2024 succeeding Dr. George Manneh Weah by securing a narrow victory in the runoff Presidential elections. Former President of Liberia, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was conferred Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2012.
Liberia joined International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) with the ratification/approval of the Framework Agreement on the Establishment of IBCA on 8 January 2025.
Liberia has signed the Framework Agreement in International Solar Alliance (ISA). The process of ratification by the Liberian Parliament is also underway.
Visits from Liberia
i) Agreement on Establishment of Joint Commission between India and Liberia.
ii) MoU between Foreign Service Institutes of India and Liberia.
iii) MoU on Cooperation in the field of Oil and Gas between India and Liberia.
iv) Agreement between EXIM Bank and Government of Liberia for a Line of Credit of US$ 144 million for funding a power transmission and distribution project in Liberia. (The LoC was later cancelled at Liberia’s request).
3rd IAFS Participation: President Sirleaf led a high-level delegation on her second visit to India in October 2015 to participate at the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi. She held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on October 30, 2015. The Liberian Foreign Minister also had a bilateral meeting with the then EAM on 28 October, 2015.
Participation in CII-India Africa Business Conclaves: Dr. Richard Tolbert, Chairman of the National Investment Commission of Liberia and Dr. Frederick Norkey, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry attended the 5th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership in Delhi in March 2009. Commerce Minister, Ms. Miata Beysolow visited India to participate in the 8th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave and the 2nd India-Africa Trade Ministers’ Conference in March 2012. Ms. Martha C Morris, Deputy Minister for Administration and Mr. Malayah Tamba Chieyoe, Deputy Minister for Planning and Policy from Ministry of Health participated in the 19th CII India Africa Business Conclave held in New Delhi from August 20-23, 2024.
Other Ministerial visits
Other visits
Visits from India to Liberia
Ministerial level visits
Other visits
Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS)
VOGSS 3.0: Dr. Catherine T. Cooper, Deputy Minister for Health Services and Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, Ministry of Health & Social Welfare of Liberia and Mrs. Tanneh G. Brunson, Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning of Liberia, participated in the Health Ministers' Session and Finance Ministers' Session of Voice of the Global South Summit [VOGSS 3.0] respectively - organised virtually by India on August 17, 2024.
VOGSS 1.0 & 2.0: Dr. Wilhemina S. Jallah, Health Minister of Liberia and Mrs. Tanneh G. Brunson, Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning of Liberia, participated in the Voice of the Global South Summit [VOGSS] - Health Ministers' Session, and VOGSS 2.0 – Finance Ministers' Session organised virtually by India on January 13, 2023 and November 17, 2023 respectively.
Economic and Commercial Relations
Bilateral trade between India and Liberia has seen steady growth, with India being one of Liberia’s key trading partners. Bilateral trade stood at US$397 Million in 2024-25, largely driven by India’s export to Liberia, with a significant growth of 55% y-o-y basis. During 2023-24, the bilateral trade figure was US$256 million. There is a potential for significant increase in the bilateral trade.
The bilateral trade figures during the last five years are as follows:
(Figures in US$ million US$)
Year |
Exports |
Imports |
Total |
Trade Balance |
2019-20 |
219.52 |
7.75 |
227.27 |
211.77 |
2020-21 |
225.65 |
6.95 |
232.60 |
218.70 |
2021-22 |
247.05 |
21.20 |
268.25 |
225.85 |
2022-23 |
257.15 |
26.80 |
283.95 |
230.35 |
2023-24 |
243.29* |
12.46 |
255.75 |
230.83 |
2024-25 |
376.33 |
20.39 |
396.72 |
355.94 |
Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India
* Imposition of 20% export duty on export of parboiled rice since October 2023 impacted the overall export of rice to Liberia from US$139.87 in year 2022-23 to US$103.68 in year 2023-24.
The main items of export from India are food stuff particularly rice, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals products, Ceramic products, two and three wheelers, transport equipment, articles of steel, iron and aluminium, and plastic and rubber products. Imports from Liberia mainly include animals and vegetable fats and oils, metals scrap, wood and articles of wood and natural rubber.
An important feature of bilateral trade relationship is Liberia’s inclusion in India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme in 2012, which helps boost Liberian export like timber, vegetable oil, and rubber. The DFTP provides zero duty and preferential market access to LDCs on more than 98% of India’s tariff lines.
India is a preferred destination for higher education and medical treatment among the Liberians.
Arcelor Mittal, a PIO company invested in mining started exporting iron ore from Liminco mine since July 2011.
Sesa Goa (a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources), has invested in Liberia by acquiring the $1.6 billion-Western Cluster iron ore project, known to be one of the largest deposits in Africa. The integrated project site consists of three iron ore deposits namely Mano River, the western portion of the Bomi Hills and the never exploited Bea Mountain.
Hyderabad based L. V. Prasad Eye Institute Collaborative Center is a modern eye clinic inaugurated by former Liberian President on 24 July, 2017 at JFK Memorial Hospital in Monrovia.
AFCONS Infrastructure Limited (part of the Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group which is the third-largest construction group in India) operates in Liberia as sub-contractor under Arcelor Mittal undertaking the infrastructure components of the company.
Star Cement Company and Sethi Ferro Fabrik Inc. are 100% Indian owned cement and steel manufacturing plants respectively owned by Sethi Brothers, one of the leading business groups in Liberia. Star Cement is the only second cement factory after CEMENCO, a German company, in Liberia. The Sethi Brothers also own Plastic factories, Bottling, and Recycling plants in Liberia.
Jeety Rubber Liberia Limited Corporation (JRLLC), a 100% Indian owned rubber processing plant, owned by Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, a leading Indian businessman in Liberia, is located at Weala, Margibi County. The Plant has recently started its production activities. In its initial stage, the company has planned to produce processed rubber only for exportation purposes. In later stages, the company is expected to produce tyres and other rubber products like hand gloves, rain boots, and rubber bands, among others. In August 2024, JRLLC, took over Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC), a subsidiary of Socfinaf S.A., a Belgian-French agricultural conglomerate, and one of the largest rubber plantations in Liberia.
Development Partnership
The EXIM Bank of India has extended a GOI supported LOC worth US$50 Mn to ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) for construction of 50 km long Barclayville – Sasstown - Klowne Road in Grad Kru County of Liberia. Consultancy services for the project are being provided by the Consulting Engineers Group Ltd.(CEG). Finalization of DPR and pre-qualification of EPC Contractors by Exim Bank is presently underway.
Government of India (GOI) contributed SDR 11.15 million towards the IMF’s Financial Package for Liberia’s Debt Relief in October 2007. India provided agricultural assistance package consisting of pesticides and sprayers to the Liberian government in 2009 to help combat emergency situation caused by caterpillar infestation. In order to improve the non-existent transport system of Liberia, India gifted 25 buses in 2010 which has been a visible example of India's assistance to improve daily lives of thousands of Liberians. Liberia was severely affected by Ebola during 2014-15. It was declared Ebola free by WHO on 9 May 2015. GOI stood by Liberia during these difficult times and extended bilateral assistance of over US$ 50,000 to Liberia to fight Ebola. In addition, GOI provided cash assistance of US$ 500,000 to the WHO as well as contribution of US$ 10 million to the UN Fund for Ebola and additional US$ 2 million for purchase of protective gear to tackle Ebola for the 3 Ebola affected countries of West Africa including Liberia (Agreement on contribution of US$12 Million was signed on December 9, 2014). In August 2014, the Indian Community in Liberia also donated assorted anti-Ebola related material worth more than US$ 200,000 to the National Task Force on Ebola. The donation was received by President Sirleaf personally. In December 2014, India again gifted 15 buses to Liberia which were formally received by the Foreign Minister, Mr. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan in the presence of former President Sirleaf. GOI also contributed US$ 2 million as grant for construction of the 14th Military Hospital in Liberia in August 2019. The Hospital was inaugurated by the then Liberian President, Dr. George Manneh Weah on September 1, 2021. GOI also supplied 45 passenger buses and 5 fire-trucks to Liberia in December, 2019 on grant basis. In March 2021, GOI supplied 96,000 Covid-19 vaccines to Liberia through the COVAX facility under its Vaccine Maitry programme. Various grants and cash assistances by GoI have been well-appreciated by the Liberian top leadership and public in general.
Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme
India has been contributing towards human resource development, capacity building and skills up-gradation of Liberians. Under the India-Africa Forum Summit I and II (IAFS I and II), India committed to set up an Information Technology Centre, a Farm Science Centre and a Training Centre for Women in the Solar Energy sector. Liberia has been a beneficiary country of the PAN African e-network project. India provides 70 training slots annually under the Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation (ITEC). In addition, Liberian Defence personnel have also been allotted 7-8 slots for various defence courses/training under ITEC programme every year. Liberians have also been benefiting from other capacity building training programmes in India under the IAFS, Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats conducted by Ministry of External Affairs as well as under the US-Liberia-India trilateral cooperation programme.
Cultural Relations
India offers 4 ICCR scholarships for under graduate / post-graduate studies annually which are being fully utilized by Liberia.
The International Day of Yoga is organized by the Mission every year which see enthusiastic participation by the Indian as well as other communities in Liberia. The celebration of the 10th International Day of Yoga was graced by Liberian Minister of Mines and Energy, Mr. Wilmot Paye as the Chief Guest.
Two Study in India educational fairs with involvement of over 15 Indian universities were held in February 2024 and February 2025 which saw the participation by a significant number of enthusiastic Liberian students.
Indian Community
There are about 3500 Indian nationals and PIOs residing in Liberia. The Indian Community is mainly engaged in trading and providing services. A few of them have now started manufacturing ventures too. Indians have major share in pharmaceuticals and construction material sectors. There is a Hindu Temple, Sikh Gurudwara and also a cremation ground in Liberia. There are two Indian Schools in Liberia, which cater to the educational needs of not only Indians but also Liberians and other nationals.
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Updated as on June 2025
