DAKSHIN

Zambia

Over the last several decades, India has come to be seen as a reliable partner and friend by successive Zambian leadership. The relationship continues to be driven by mutual respect and is based in a spirit of partnership for mutual benefit. Zambia is among a few African countries which considerably benefitted from India’s development cooperation programme. India has provided EXIM Bank credits; railway wagons and flood relief grants and lines of credit besides fully paid scholarships for various higher education courses and ITEC training slots as well as specialized capacity building programmes under IAFS.

The President of Zambia commissioned Arcades Flyover Bridge, one of the the four flyover bridges being constructed as part of

High Commissioner of India to Zambia Shri N. J. Gangte handed over first tranche of lifesaving medicine to Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, Minister of Health of Zambia to support Zambia's fight against COVID-19

High Commissioner Mr. Ashok Kumar inaugurated two-day 'Study in India' Program for the Zambian students

H.E. Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of Zambia commissioned Makeni Flyover Bridge

Reinforcing 🇮🇳🇿🇲capacity building partnership through #ITEC! @IndiainZambia organised annual #ITECDay reception to mark achievements of ITEC alumni in their respective fields. Hon. Mr. Garry Nkombo, Minister of Local Govt. & Rural Dev. graced the occasion

Cooperation to tackle the challenge of COVID-19 Pandemic

To augment Zambia’s fight against COVID-19, essential medicines including Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), weighing 6000 kgs were donated to Zambia in May 2020.
As part of India’s Vaccine Maitri Initiative, 228,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses via COVAX facility were supplied to Zambia in April 2021.
Medicines worth US$ 2 million were handed over to Ministry of Health in December 2019.

Capacity Building & Other Exchanges

Zambia has availed more than 3500 ITEC slots and the specialized training programmes flowing from the IAFS-III summit as well as ICCR scholarships.
Pan-Africa E-network Project was implemented at three sites in Zambia in 2009: VVIP Centre for Video Conferencing at the State House, Lusaka; Patient End Location at the UTH, Lusaka; and Learning Centre for tele-education at the Mulungushi University in Kabwe was inaugurated in August 2010. Further to this effort, the E-VidyaBharti (E-VBAB) project is under implementation.
Zambia had utilized 108 e-ITEC slots during the years 2020-21 to 2022-23.
ICCR Scholarships: 78 seats were allocated during the period 2017-18 to 2022-23 out of which 60 seats have been utilized. For the current academic year 2023-24, 15 seats have been allocated.
8 Zambian rural women have been trained in the popular ‘Solar Mamas’ course.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the University of Zambia have recently signed a MoU on establishment of a Chair on Indian Studies at the University of Zambia.
ICCR is now in the process of selection of a suitable candidate for the position, based on Zambia’s requirements.

Development Cooperation (Grants/ LoCs/ Assistance)

In 1979 and 1982, India extended government and EXIM Bank credits to Zambia totalling Rs. 25 crores. In 1989, India provided railways wagons costing about Rs. 8 crores to Zambia under the Africa Fund. Other assistance such as Maruti vehicles were given to Zambia News Agency and emergency medical supplies.
In April 2003, further assistance was provided and India waived off the inter-governmental credit amounting to about $3 million.
120 MW ItezhiTezhi Hydropower Project (ITHP), a joint venture project of Zambia’s State Power utility ZESCO and TATA Power of India, was commissioned in March 2016. Out of the GoI LoC of US$ 50 million for the project, Zambian side had utilized US$29 million.
Pan-Africa E-network Project was implemented at three sites in Zambia in 2009: VVIP Centre for Video Conferencing at the State House, Lusaka; Patient End Location at the UTH, Lusaka; and Learning Centre for tele-education at the Mulungushi University.
M/s Afcons a subsidiary of M/s Shapoorji Pallonji group has completed the US$ 289.5 million Lusaka City Road De-congestion Project. The project was financed by EXIM Bank of India under Buyer’s Credit of US$ 245.74 million and remaining part was funded by the government of Zambia. The project was launched in April 2018.
The construction of 650 rural pre-fabricated health posts was announced in 2011 for which an LOC US$ 50 million was signed in 2013. Construction of the health posts commenced in 2014. An additional LOC of US$ 18 million was approved in 2017 to complete the project. 563 health posts have already been completed and are operational.
Medicines worth US$ 2 million were handed over to Ministry of Health in December 2019.
1000MT of non-Basmati rice was delivered to Zambia in October 2020.
Government of India has included Zambia in the second phase of Cotton Technical Assistance Programme (CTAP).
Zambia signed the Letter of Intent to utilize Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme (DFTP) in May 2010 and in April 2012; it was notified as one of the beneficiaries of the scheme.