India – South Sudan Bilateral Relations 

South Sudan was a part of Anglo-Egyptian administered Sudan from 1899 to 1955 under joint British-Egyptian rule. After two civil wars (1955-72 and 1983-2005), it became an autonomous region (“Southern Sudan” State) within Sudan. 

2 India's position remained neutral in the long-running civil wars for autonomy of Southern Sudan. In 2005, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed [ceremony attended by the then Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri E. Ahmed] between the Government of Sudan and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Nairobi which led to the autonomy for the Southern part with a provision for South Sudanese referendum on independence in six years' time. 

3. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on 09 July 2011, following a referendum held in January, 2011. India was one of the first countries to recognize independent South Sudan and the then Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari attended the Independence Day celebrations in Juba on 9 July 2011. Indian Consulate in Juba (which was opened in October 2007) was upgraded as an Embassy in March 2012. South Sudan also opened its Embassy at New Delhi in August 2012. South Sudan and India have always enjoyed cordial and friendly relations. 

4. Following a civil war that started in December 2013, the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) was signed among the warring rivals in Addis Ababa on 12 September 2018. A transitional government of national unity (i.e. coalition of signatory political partners based on the power sharing formula envisaged in the Agreement) is in place at present since February 2020. The main mandate of the transitional government is to implement the R-ARCSS to hold election in December 2026 for a democratic transfer of power by February 2027. 

Visits / Political Interactions

5. The then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh met South Sudanese President H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit in New York in September 2011 on the side lines of UNGA. Gen. (Rtd) V. K. Singh, Minister of State visited Juba in July 2015, as the then Special Envoy of Prime Minister to deliver invitations to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Foreign Minister Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin for participation in 3rd India Africa Forum Summit. He again visited Juba in July 2016 to coordinate and oversee evacuation of Indian nationals when civil war was at its peak in South Sudan. Shri V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs visited Juba from 20-22 October 2021 for bilateral talks. The visit gave a fillip to India’s bilateral cooperation with South Sudan. 

6. From South Sudanese side, President Salva Kiir led a high-level delegation to attend the 3rd India Africa Summit (IAFS-III) in New Delhi in October 2015. A bilateral interaction of the President Kiir with PM Mr Narendra Modi was also held on 30 October 2015. In March 2016 and July 2022, H.E. Dr. James Wani Igga, Vice President for Economic Cluster of Ministries participated in the CII-EXIM Bank “India-Africa Growth Partnership” Conclaves, with large delegations. The Speaker of Transitional National Legislative Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba led an 18-member delegation including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mary Nawai Martin to New Delhi in April, 2023. Another 12 member delegation from the Committee on Finance and Economic Planning (COFEP) of Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Republic of South Sudan led by the Chairperson of Transitional National Legislative Assembly attended a benchmarking study tour hosted by the Lok Sabha Secretariat in February 2025. There have been several other Ministerial-level visits from South Sudan to India, mainly to represent South Sudan in various conferences, EXPOs etc most recent being the visit of Lt. Gen. Chol Thon J Balok, the Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs to Aero India held in February 2025 at Bengaluru. 

Bilateral Institutional Mechanisms

7. An MoU on Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) was signed between the two countries on 22 February 2019 in New Delhi. Consultations are to be held on annual basis, alternatively in Juba and New Delhi at the level of Director General or equivalent. The first meeting in Juba is still due. 

Bilateral Trade

8. India's trade with South Sudan is sparse. The main items of Indian imports from South Sudan are oil and timber, whereas India's exports mainly comprise consumer and household goods, food items, pharmaceuticals, motor cycles and three-wheelers. As the trade is mainly through third countries (Uganda, Kenya, UAE), precise data of the same are not available. Bilateral trade figures with South Sudan over the last seven years (from Department of Commerce of India website), are as follows:

9. Though reliable data is not available, some local companies do import pharma products directly from India. These are mostly concentrated in the capital city of Juba. South Sudan's global goods imports in 2022 were US$938 million and exports accounted for approx US$544 million. China, Uganda, UAE and Kenya are its major trading partners.

Economic and Commercial Relations

10. ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) has made an investment of about US$ 2.0 billion (spread over Sudan and South Sudan) in the hydrocarbon sector since 2003. 

11. Over 90% of South Sudan’s budget funding comes from its oil revenues. Production of crude oil was, however, disrupted from December 2013 due to outbreak of civil war in the country, further deteriorating the economy. Since September, 2018, oil production has been revived at a minimal level. It was expected to reach pre-2013 level of 3,20,000 bpd, but the production on ground has remained between 1,30,000 pbd to 170,000 pbd until 2023. However, after damage to one of the two oil pipelines in Sudan in February 2024, 65% of its oil production has stopped. Oil production has partially resumed since January 2025. 

12. A few Indian companies/companies where majority share is owned by Indians have presence in South Sudan in different fields, like hotel industry, construction, borehole drilling, printing, retail trading, supplier to UN agencies and oil industry-related services. Indians also run supermarkets and restaurants in Juba.

Capacity building

13. ITEC slots: India is currently offering South Sudan 180 slot annually under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) training programme for capacity building. In the aftermath of COVID pandemic, many training courses were also conducted online within the Mission premises. As part of the programme, a lady diplomat Ms. Adiang from the local Foreign office did a yoga training course for three months at Bengaluru, thus becoming the first India trained yoga teacher in the country. Around 1300 South Sudanese have attended ITEC training courses in India since 2013. 

14. ICCR Scholarships: During 2013-2024, a total of 175 South Sudanese students were granted ICCR scholarships. Given the high demand and popularity of courses offered under ICCR, scholarship quota for South Sudan has been enhanced to 30 seats from the year 2023-24 from 20 seats. 

15. Police Training Courses: 50 officers of South Sudan Police Force attended specialized courses in India in 2018 and 2019. 

16. Training at SSFSI: In 2016, under country specific programme, 15 diplomats of South Sudan Foreign Ministry attended a specialized course at Foreign Service Institute of India, in New Delhi. In 2017 and 2019 one diplomat was accommodated by FSI each year in the Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats. In May 2022, Thirty-one South Sudanese diplomats were trained in SSIFS, New Delhi (twenty-nine diplomats travelled to India and two joined from the South Sudanese Embassy in New Delhi). In December 2024, 15 more diplomats attended a specialized course. Thus, a total of 80 South Sudanese diplomats have been trained in India so far. 

17. Courses under IAFS-III scholarship: A total of 43 slots have been availed of by South Sudan officials who attended different capacity building and Post-graduation courses since 2017.

18. Pan Africa E-network/e-VBAB: An MoU has been signed on 7 July 2022 between TCIL and Government of South Sudan for online training in education (e-Vidya Bharti or e-VB) and health (e-Arogya Bharti or e-AB) as part of Pan Africa e-Network (IAFS-III, 2015) viz., e-VBAB. The e-VB has already commenced and 188 students enrolled for different courses in 2022-23. 

Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HA& DR):

19. In 2008, India donated US$ 100,000 worth of tents and medicines for flood victims to be shared between Sudan and South Sudan. In February 2020, a consignment of life saving drugs worth Rs.68.8 lakh (approx. US$1,00,000) was donated to the flood affected people of South Sudan. In December 2020, Government of India donated 70 Metric Tons of food aid consisting of wheat flour, rice and sugar to the flood affected people of South Sudan (USD55,540). In April, 2021, Government of India gifted 6 Metric Tons of life-saving essential medicines to South Sudan (USD1,18,047). 

Other Bilateral Assistance projects:

20. The following Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) have been undertaken so far:

(i) India Provided four handpumps at Mangalla Internally Displaced Persons Camp in June 2022 (at the cost of around US$ 44900).

(ii) A 6-week Artificial Limbs (Jaipur Foot) Fitment Camp was also organized by MEA at Juba Military Hospital at the cost of approx. US$1,80,000 (approx. Rs.1,34,05,370) in June-July 2022. 

(iii) Construction of Observatory for a seismic station (under Ministry of Mining/Geological Society of South Sudan) at Kolye West Village, Rajaf Payam, Juba, at the cost of USD 49,474/-, commenced in November 2024.

(iv) Renovation of South Sudan Learning Center (SSLC) under the Ministry of ICT & Postal Services, at the cost of USD13954.20, commenced in December 2024.

(v) The Embassy provided veterinary medicines worth INRs 14,40,000/- (US$ 16,900/- approx.) to Indian peacekeepers in UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) between December 2024 – March 2025 for distribution at 16 veterinary aid camps that were organized in different parts of South Sudan (eight camps organized each by Indbatt1 (in Malakal) and Indbatt2 (in Bor). The joint initiative of the Embassy & Indian Peacekeepers in UNMISS provided vital support to local communities and was much appreciated.

Medical Tourism

21. Given the top class but affordable medical facilities in India, South Sudanese prefer to travel to India to address their health issues. The number of medical visas issued to South Sudanese nationals have been steadily increasing. In this regard, some India-based medical tourism promoting agencies have also been facilitating their clients to get best treatment at hospitals in Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, etc. 

Cultural Interaction

22. Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) sponsored cultural troupe visited South Sudan in 2016 & 2017 and performed in Juba. In 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2025 traditional dance groups from South Sudan participated at the International Arts and Crafts Mela in Surajkund. 

From University of Juba, Prof John Akec, Vice Chancellor and Dr. Biong Kuol Deng, Dean-School of Law, visited India in August 2018 and in October 2023, respectively, under the Academic Visitors Programme (AVP), sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). 

Hon’ble Atem Garang Deng Dekuek, Member of Parliament, visited India in January 2023, under Distinguished Visitors Programme (AVP), sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). 

Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan 

A. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)

23. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was established based on a UNSC resolution in 2011. India has provided a contingent of over 2,300 defense personnel for the peacekeeping operations in South Sudan out of the total strength of around 17000. Lt Gen Mohan Subramanian from Indian Army is the Force Commander of UNMISS since August, 2022. His predecessor Lt. Gen. S.S. Tinaikar was too an Indian Army officer. Indian peace keepers are deployed in Juba, Bore (Jonglei State) and Malakal (Upper Nile State) Regions. In addition, a police component (UNPOL) of around 26 Indian Police Officers is attached with UNMISS in the country. Apart from the peacekeeping operations, the Indian contingents have also been involved in community welfare activities viz. conducting veterinary camps to help the local community in taking care of their large cattle population in Bor and Malakal. The India peace keepers are also engaged in training of youth in various fields including repair of computers, diesel gen-sets, etc. To empower women of South Sudan, the peacekeepers have taught them methods of growing vegetables and pulses, and also how to milk cattle in clean, hygienic ways. 

24. The battalion in Bor (Jonglei State) installed community solar lights in villages for the benefit of students to enable them to study at night as also for security reasons. Indian army engineers under UNMISS in Malakal re-laid the airstrip, repaired flood affected roads and renovated the defunct Government Hospital in Malakal.

25. In 2013, seven soldiers of the Indian peacekeeping battalion made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of peace in two different attacks in Jonglei State. The bravery and social welfare activities of the Indian peacekeepers are highly commended both by the local population and Government of South Sudan. 

B. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA):

26. UNIFFA is a United Nations peacekeeping force in Abyei, an oil rich border area which is contested between Sudan and South Sudan. The area is being administered jointly by the two countries at present. UNISFA was established through UNSC Resolution in 2011. The Resolution made provision for the deployment of 4,200 Ethiopian troops to provide security and protect civilians under imminent threat of violence in the disputed border region. From January 2022, it has become a multinational force of 3,250 military personnel, 640 police personnel and an appropriate civilian support. An Indian contingent of around 570 soldiers is deployed in UNISFA. 

Indian Community

27. Presently, around 1000 Indian nationals are based in South Sudan. Some of them have set up their businesses in Juba and others are working in various companies. A number of Indians are also working in UN organizations, Christian missionaries and in NGOs. Indians were among the first to open hotels, borehole drilling companies, printing press and departmental stores in Juba in early 2006 after South Sudan was declared an autonomous region.

28. There is an Indian Association of South Sudan (IASS) in Juba, which, among other activities, organizes cultural functions and charitable activities, periodic free medical and blood donation camps on certain important occasions such as India national days. Shri Sanjaykumar Shivabhai Patel, Managing Director of JIT Supermarket chain in Juba, was conferred Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award on 10 January 2023 at the PBD Convention at Indore for business and community services. 

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May 2025