First India–Mali Forum for export promotion concluded in Bamako

Setting stage for deeper trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, India and Mali organised India–Mali forum for export promotion in Bamako, the capital of Mali, with focus on cotton and textiles.

India and Mali have institutionalized their growing commercial partnership through the inaugural India–Mali Forum for the Promotion of Exports held in Bamako. The strategic framework aims to deepen investment across high-priority sectors, including finished leather, cotton, and textiles, as bilateral trade between the two nations surpassed $326.61 million in FY 2025–26—marking a robust 55% increase over the previous fiscal year.

For the manufacturing industries, including textiles, leather and others, the bilateral platform highlights a highly integrated raw-material-to-finished-good trade pipeline. Finished leather remains one of Mali’s principal exports to India, while Indian exports back to the West African nation are driven heavily by cotton fabrics and pharmaceuticals. Trade officials noted that India's Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme has served as the primary catalyst for this volume growth. However, significant structural capacity remains unmapped: against Mali's total global exports of approximately $4 billion, the untapped export potential specifically within the Indian market is estimated at nearly $3.96 billion.

The two-day forum concluded with a commitment from the Malian government to secure its domestic business environment and position the country as a strategic West African investment hub under its Vision Mali 2063 roadmap. To sustain this momentum, Mali has announced a dedicated investment forum scheduled for December 3–4, 2026, which will introduce an expanded portfolio of bankable, ready-made business plans tailored for international leather, textile, and manufacturing investors.