Lesotho
Since 1996, the High Commission in Pretoria has been concurrently accredited to Lesotho. Lesotho opened a resident Mission in New Delhi in 2005. India and Lesotho enjoy a strong relationship that has stood the test of time and is based on shared values and principles, underpinned by the noble objective of South-South cooperation.
Cooperation to tackle the challenge of COVID-19 Pandemic
- Government of India has supplied 36000 Covid-19 vaccine doses in March 2021 under Covax scheme to fight against Covid-19.
Capacity Building & Other Exchanges
- In 2024-25, 70 ITEC slots and 35 ICCR slots have been allocated to Lesotho.
Development Cooperation (Grants/ LoCs/ Assistance)
- Lesotho is one of the earliest developmental partner countries of India to avail GoI Line of Credits. Since 2003, to strengthen bilateral cooperation, Government of India (GoI) has extended two Lines of Credit (LOC) worth USD 9.70 million to the Government of Lesotho in the sectors of skill development and irrigation equipment.
- Under a tripartite agreement signed by India and Lesotho in October 2001, 4 Indian agricultural experts / technicians were deputed to Lesotho under FAO’s special programme for Food Security in Low Income Food Deficit countries. Subsequently, an Indian Expert was deputed in January 2004 to render assistance for drawing up an irrigation master plan.
- National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and Basotho Enterprises Development Corporation (BEDCO) signed an MOU in January 2004 for Mutual Cooperation for the Development of Small Industries in Lesotho. This envisaged strengthening the capacity of BEDCO for development sustenance and growth of small enterprises in Lesotho, facilitating transfer of technologies from India to Lesotho, assistance in setting up a Common Facility-cum-Training Center to meet the skill and technology needs of small enterprises in Lesotho and facilitating enterprise-to-enterprise contacts with a view to promote Indian investment and industrial partnerships in Lesotho. The Indian Ministry of Textiles sent a team of experts to assess Lesotho’s training needs in the textile sector.
- An India-Lesotho Centre for Advanced Education in Information Technology has been set up by India at Lerotholi Polytechnic, Maseru on 29 November 2017, which is a fully funded Government of India project.
- On 29 November 2017, 500 metric tonnes of rice were formally donated by India to Lesotho as a gesture of goodwill and friendship between the two countries and to mitigate the devastating effect of food shortages caused by famine and other acts of nature.
- A Pan-Africa e-network has also been set-up in Lesotho by M/s TCIL which includes VVIP communication, tele-medicine and tele-education.
