India–Malawi relations refers to the international relations that exist between India and Malawi.
History
Trade relations between India and Malawi date back to the 18th century, when Indian tradesmen (mostly Gujaratis) arrived in Africa. India established diplomatic relations with Malawi in 1964, the year of the latter's independence. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited the country in 1964 to participate in Malawi's independence celebrations. The Indian diplomatic mission in Malawi was closed in May 1993, and India's interests in the country were transferred to the Indian embassy in Zambia.
Malawi opened its High Commission in New Delhi in February 2007. Several Malawian leaders have received their education from universities in India, including President Bingu wa Mutharika and Foreign Minister George Chaponda. Mutharika secured a Bachelor of Commerce and a master's degree in economics from the University of Delhi in 1961 and 1963 respectively. During his state visit to India as President of Malawi, Mutharika was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by his alma mater on 4 November 2010. Chaponda studied at the Delhi University between 1963 and 1968.
H. Kamutzu Banda, the first President of Malawi, visited India in 1983 to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. President Bingu wa Mutharika visited India on 2–7 November 2010. During the visit, the two sides signed a general co-operation agreement, as well as MoUs on cooperation covering the fields of mineral resources development, rural development, and health and medicine. During the visit, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that India would re-open its High Commission in Malawi in early 2012. The High Commission in Lilongwe was re-opened in February 2012. Vanlalhuma served as the first High Commissioner to Malawi from 21 June 2013 until 13 June 2016. Suresh Kumar Menon assumed office as the second High Commissioner to the country from 9 August 2016 to 31 January 2019.Anurag Bhusan served as the third High Commissioner from 6 July 2019 to 4 February 2021. S. Gopalakrishnan assumed office as the fourth High Commissioner of India to Malawi on 13 March 2021.
Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari visited Malawi on 7–9 January 2010. During Ansari's visit the two countries signed agreements on cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors and development of small scale enterprises in Malawi. Two nations also agreed on a protocol of consultations between their respective foreign ministries.
Malawi supports India in the Kashmir dispute, supported India's position at the First Committee of the UN General Assembly regarding the nuclear tests in 1998, and also supports India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Malawi also voted for India's election to the first United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006.
Following a meeting between India's Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise G. M. Siddeshwara and Malawi President Peter Mutharika in July 2015, the latter praised relations between the two countries declaring that Malawi had benefited greatly from the relationship. Mutharika stated, "In 2008, we got a generous line of credit from the government of India to the tune of $163 million, which assisted us in areas of agriculture, petroleum storage tanks, sugar processing plant and capacity building. In 2010, we also got a credit of $5 million, which assisted us in areas of science and technology and the health care sector. We are very much appreciative of that."
Economic relations
Trade
India was Malawi's 3rd largest trading partner in 2015, after South Africa and China. India is the 4th largest source of imports to Malawi, and 7th largest destination for exports in 2015.
Bilateral trade between India and Malawi totaled US$250.80 million in 2014–15. India exported $214.02 million worth of goods to Malawi, and imported $36.78 million. The main commodities exported by India to Malawi are textile yarns, fabrics, transport equipment, pharmaceuticals, machinery and equipment. The major commodities imported by India from Malawi are pulses, chickpeas and other agricultural commodities.