India-Eswatini Relations Explained

India-Eswatini relations are the friendly bilateral ties between India and the Kingdom of Eswatini, the southern African monarchy known as Swaziland until 2018, which rest on a small Indian-origin trading community, concessional development finance, training under the ITEC programme, and trade in pharmaceuticals and other goods. The partnership is cordial, development-focused and free of significant disputes, and it operates mostly within India’s wider engagement with Southern Africa and the African Union.

Eswatini is one of Africa’s smallest countries, and it is landlocked and closely tied economically to South Africa. India approaches it as a development partner and a fellow member of international forums such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth. This explainer covers the historical background, the Indian-origin community, cooperation programmes, trade and the limits and outlook of the relationship. Last reviewed: 21 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

• India-Eswatini relations are warm and cooperative, built on development partnership, training programmes and a small but long-established Indian-origin community.
• Eswatini was called Swaziland until April 2018, when King Mswati III announced the new name on the 50th anniversary of independence.
• India supports Eswatini through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, which has offered training places to professionals from African countries since 1964.
• India has extended concessional lines of credit to African partners, and Eswatini is among the African countries eligible for such development finance offers.
• Indian generic medicines, including antiretroviral drugs, form an important part of the health and trade connection across Southern Africa.
• Eswatini is a monarchy closely linked to South Africa’s economy, so its trade with India is small in absolute terms and its relations with India are often shaped by regional frameworks.

What are India-Eswatini relations based on?

India-Eswatini relations are based on a shared Commonwealth heritage, India’s long-standing solidarity with African development, and a practical programme of training, finance and trade. Neither country has a history of conflict with the other, and the two governments generally take supportive positions in multilateral bodies on development, climate and the reform of global institutions.

India’s policy towards Africa has been built on the idea of a “development partnership” in which India offers concessional finance, skills training, technology and capacity-building without political conditions. This approach, formalised through the India-Africa Forum Summits (held in 2008, 2011 and 2015), has covered all African states, including Eswatini. Eswatini, for its part, seeks external partners to diversify its economy, fight poverty and manage health challenges, so the offer from India is well matched to its priorities.

The relationship is also shaped by Eswatini’s geography. As a country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique, it is deeply integrated into the regional economy. India’s large and visible presence in South Africa, including a historical connection through Mahatma Gandhi’s years there from 1893 to 1914, creates a familiar backdrop for ties across Southern Africa.

How did Swaziland become Eswatini?

Swaziland became Eswatini on 19 April 2018, when King Mswati III announced that the country would revert to its traditional name, meaning “land of the Swazis” in the siSwati language. The announcement coincided with celebrations of 50 years of independence from Britain and the king’s 50th birthday.

The kingdom had been a British protectorate from the early twentieth century and gained independence on 6 September 1968. King Mswati III has reigned since 1986, and his father, King Sobhuza II, was the long-ruling monarch at independence. The government has presented the name change as a symbolic step to remove a colonial-era label, similar to changes of name made by other states in the twentieth century.

India uses the name Eswatini in its official communication. Diplomatic ties date from the years after independence, and the change of name did not alter any agreements.

Who are the Indians in Eswatini?

The Indians in Eswatini are a small community of traders, business owners and professionals, largely descended from migrants who arrived from western India, particularly Gujarat, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Their population is commonly described as a few thousand people, and the exact figure varies by source and by how persons of Indian origin and non-resident Indians are counted.

Many families run retail shops, wholesale supply, textile and clothing outlets, small manufacturing and property businesses in towns such as Manzini and Mbabane. Some have lived in the country for several generations, and a number hold Eswatini citizenship, while others are Indian passport holders or Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs).

The community plays several roles in bilateral relations:

• It provides business contacts and local knowledge for Indian exporters and investors.
• It sustains Indian religious, cultural and festive traditions, including Diwali and other celebrations.
• It acts as an informal bridge during official visits, which often include meetings with the community.
• It contributes to local commerce and employment, although its size remains small compared with the Indian-origin population of South Africa.

What development cooperation does India provide to Eswatini?

India provides development cooperation to Eswatini mainly through the ITEC training programme, scholarships, concessional lines of credit and occasional grant or humanitarian assistance. These instruments follow the same pattern as India’s engagement with many African countries and are intended to be demand-driven, meaning that the partner country selects the priorities.

ITEC and scholarships

The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, run by the Ministry of External Affairs since 1964, funds courses at Indian institutions for officials and professionals from partner countries. Eswatini nominees have taken courses in areas such as information technology, public administration, agriculture, rural development, healthcare and entrepreneurship. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) also offers scholarships for degrees in India.

Lines of credit

India, through the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank), has offered government-backed concessional lines of credit to developing countries for infrastructure, agriculture, energy and health projects. Eswatini is among the African countries eligible for such offers. Project details, sizes and delivery status differ, and readers wanting precise data should consult EXIM Bank and the Ministry of External Affairs.

Technology and connectivity

India launched the Pan-African e-Network in the late 2000s to connect African countries with Indian institutions for tele-education and tele-medicine, and the project was later reworked into the broader e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti (e-VBAB) network. Several Southern African states participated, and similar digital-cooperation ideas remain part of India’s offer to the region.

How important is health and pharmaceutical cooperation?

Health and pharmaceutical cooperation is one of the most important practical links between India and Eswatini, because Indian generic medicines supply a large share of the affordable drugs used in Southern Africa. Eswatini has had one of the highest rates of HIV prevalence in the world among adults, and the country’s national health response has relied on antiretroviral therapy and internationally supported programmes.

Indian manufacturers of generic antiretroviral drugs, as well as antibiotics, anti-malarial and other essential medicines, have been prominent suppliers to African health systems, often through international procurement channels. This does not mean that all supplies to Eswatini come directly from India, but the Indian generic industry shapes global drug prices and availability.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, India supplied vaccines and medical products to many countries under its “Vaccine Maitri” initiative, either as grants or commercial supplies. Eswatini was among the African countries that received vaccines through multiple channels, including the global COVAX facility, the African Union and bilateral support, and India-made vaccines were widely used across Africa.

What is the state of trade between India and Eswatini?

Trade between India and Eswatini is small, typically measured in the tens of millions of US dollars annually, and it is dominated by Indian exports such as pharmaceuticals, vehicles, machinery, textiles and electrical goods. Reported figures change from year to year and between sources, so the numbers should be treated as approximate.

Eswatini’s main exports are sugar and sugar-based products, soft-drink concentrates, wood pulp, textiles and fruit, and its main markets are South Africa and other SACU members, the European Union and the United States. Because of SACU, most of Eswatini’s imports and exports flow through South Africa, so Indian goods often reach Eswatini via South African ports and distributors.

How do India and Eswatini cooperate in multilateral forums?

India and Eswatini cooperate in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and the framework of India-Africa summits, where they often share positions on development financing, climate justice and fair representation in global institutions. Both countries are members of the UN General Assembly, and their delegations meet at the annual sessions and at specialised agencies.

India has campaigned for reform of the UN Security Council, and African countries have a common position, known as the Ezulwini Consensus, that calls for greater African representation. Ezulwini is in fact a valley in Eswatini where the African Union adopted this common position in 2005, which gives the country a symbolic link to the continental debate on UN reform.

India’s G20 presidency in 2023 supported the admission of the African Union as a permanent G20 member, a step welcomed across Africa. The International Solar Alliance, launched by India and France, also offers a platform for cooperation with African states. One further feature of Eswatini’s foreign policy is that it is the only African country that maintains formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than Beijing, which does not affect its ties with India but sets it apart from most of its neighbours.

What are the main milestones in India-Eswatini relations?

The main milestones in India-Eswatini relations include Gandhi’s years in neighbouring South Africa, Eswatini’s 1968 independence, the India-Africa Forum Summits and the 2018 renaming. The table below organises the period in order.

What challenges and limits does the relationship face?

The relationship between India and Eswatini faces limits of scale, distance and capacity rather than political disagreement. Eswatini has a small population and economy, and India’s diplomatic and financial resources are stretched across more than fifty African countries.

• Small market: With roughly 1.2 million people, Eswatini offers limited demand for large Indian investment.
• Regional dependence: Because of its customs union with South Africa, trade patterns follow South African supply chains.
• Visibility: Both governments focus more on larger partners, so the relationship is not often prominent in the media.
• Health and economic pressure: Eswatini faces public-health burdens and economic challenges that constrain its own capacity to finance projects.
• Governance debates: Eswatini’s system of royal rule has drawn debate in some international quarters, and India follows its usual policy of non-interference in internal affairs.

Consular and trade support may also be limited, because India has historically served small Southern African states through regional diplomatic arrangements. The current configuration of resident missions should be verified with the Ministry of External Affairs.

What is the future outlook for India-Eswatini relations?

The future outlook for India-Eswatini relations is gradual growth in capacity-building, health cooperation, digital connectivity and trade facilitation, supported by India’s wider push to engage Africa. The most realistic opportunities are those that match Eswatini’s needs and India’s strengths.

These include skills training in technology and agriculture, support for small and medium enterprises, solar and renewable energy partnerships, and affordable health supplies. India’s growing profile in the African Union and the G20, and Africa’s emphasis on diversified partnerships, make additional high-level contact likely. Meanwhile, the Indian-origin community will continue to give the relationship a human face.

A practical improvement would be better market information for Indian exporters on Eswatini’s customs and SACU rules, as well as regular joint commission meetings or foreign office consultations that keep the programme of cooperation on track.

Bottom Line

India-Eswatini relations are small but dependable, resting on development partnership, health and pharmaceutical links, training programmes and an established Indian-origin community. The relationship is likely to deepen steadily, mostly through practical projects rather than headline diplomacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eswatini the same as Swaziland?

Yes, Eswatini is the new name of the country formerly known as Swaziland. King Mswati III announced the change on 19 April 2018, on the 50th anniversary of independence, and the name means “land of the Swazis” in siSwati.

What is the relationship between India and Eswatini?

India and Eswatini have friendly, cooperative relations focused on development partnership. The main elements are training through the ITEC programme, concessional lines of credit, pharmaceutical and health cooperation, trade and the small Indian-origin community living in Eswatini.

Are there Indians living in Eswatini?

Yes, a small Indian-origin community lives in Eswatini, commonly described as a few thousand people. Many are descended from traders who arrived from Gujarat and other parts of western India in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and they work mainly in retail, wholesale and small business.

What does India export to Eswatini?

India mainly exports pharmaceuticals, vehicles, machinery, textiles and consumer goods to Eswatini. Many goods arrive through South Africa because of the customs union between the two southern African countries, and total trade is small compared with India’s trade with larger African economies.

What is the ITEC programme and how does it help Eswatini?

ITEC, or Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation, is India’s flagship capacity-building programme, started in 1964 and funded by the Ministry of External Affairs. It lets professionals from Eswatini attend fully sponsored courses in India in fields such as IT, agriculture, public administration and health.

Does Eswatini recognise Taiwan?

Yes, Eswatini is the only African country that maintains formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. This is a matter of Eswatini’s own foreign policy and does not prevent it from having cordial relations with India, which follows its own policy on the issue.

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