Mukudzei Chingwere in Surat, Gujarat State, India
ZIMBABWE’S drive to accelerate economic growth through export-led development is beginning to yield results, with annual exports to India soaring dramatically over the past eight years.
From a modest US$65 000 in 2017, Zimbabwe’s exports to the world’s fourth-largest economy surged to more than US$46 million last year.
The sharp rise reflects Government efforts under President Mnangagwa to boost production and expand value-added exports as part of a wider strategy to reduce the trade deficit and create jobs.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to India, Mrs Stellah Nkomo, said growing Indian interest in Zimbabwean products, tourism and investment opportunities is opening new frontiers for bilateral trade.
“There has been a huge increase in Zimbabwean exports to India up from US$65 000 in 2017 to more than US$46 million last year but we feel there is room for further growth,” said Amb Nkomo.
“Our target is that we want to narrow the imports and exports, last year we imported more than US$100 million and we want to grow the exports from Zimbabwe to those levels.
“Interestingly, there is huge interest in Zimbabwean products across sectors, our exports are mainly the agricultural sector that is tobacco, but there are a lot of inquiries in other sectors like tourism, mining, renewable energy among others.
“What makes our work easier in the diplomatic missions is the active participation of our leadership right from the President in promoting investment into the country.”
Alongside trade, tourism links between the two countries are also strengthening.
The Zimbabwean mission in New Delhi has seen a surge in inquiries from Indian tourists, attracted by Zimbabwe’s diverse travel offerings.
In June, a delegation of Indian visitors toured the country’s natural wonders, further underscoring the growing interest.
To consolidate these gains, the Government deployed a tourism attaché to New Delhi in 2024, a strategic move aimed at deepening Zimbabwe’s presence in one of the fastest-growing outbound tourism markets.
The initiative comes as global travel continues to rebound following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Amb Nkomo said Zimbabwe’s visa-on-arrival policy for Indian nationals has also boosted the country’s appeal.
“There is huge interest from India, with many inquiries and a growing number of tourists already visiting Zimbabwe,” she said.