Revitalizing Ties: The Growing Momentum of Algerian-Indian Relations

It seems that Algerian-Indian relations are gaining momentum, rolling forward like a snowball, rekindling the historic cooperation that once united the two nations before Algeria's independence in 1962. 

The pace of bilateral meetings and agreements has accelerated since the visit of India's President, Droupadi Murmu, to Algeria.

On October 16, 2024, President Murmu concluded a four-day state visit, marking the first of its kind by a high-ranking Indian official to Algeria in several years.

The visit saw the organization of the Algerian-Indian Economic Forum, with over 300 business leaders from both countries in attendance. 

The event culminated in an agreement to "establish fruitful and profitable business relations and partnerships for both sides," according to the final statement.

On November 3, 2024, Algeria and India signed a memorandum of understanding in the military field between the defense ministries of both countries.

The agreement was signed by Algeria’s Chief of Staff, General Said Chengriha, and India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, who had visited Algeria at the head of a high-level military delegation.

Investment Climate

In the latest official activity adding further momentum to Algerian-Indian relations, Algeria’s Minister of Internal Trade and National Market Regulation, Tayeb Zitouni, participated in the opening of the 29th Partnership Summit held in New Delhi.

On December 2, 2024, Zitouni called for taking advantage of the investment opportunities offered by Algeria, highlighting the transparency and attractiveness of the country’s investment climate.

Regarding Algerian-Indian relations, the minister highlighted the momentum the partnership has gained, "following the historic visit of India's President to Algeria in October, which resulted in key economic decisions and political agreements, through discussions with President Tebboune."

On December 3, 2024, Zitouni held talks with Sanjiv Puri, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry, on the sidelines of the 29th Partnership Summit in New Delhi, according to a statement from the Ministry.

During the meeting, Minister Zitouni “stressed the importance of cooperation between the two countries in several areas as well as the exchange of expertise to strengthen economic ties in the service of their common interests, ensuring that Algeria is ready to grant all facilities to Indian companies interested to invest in Algeria.”

Trade between the two countries has remained steady at around $2 billion in recent years, according to official figures, peaking at $2.9 billion in 2018. 

However, trade declined to $1.5 billion in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Algeria’s government decisions to restrict imports amid a foreign currency crisis. 

In 2022, trade rebounded with a 24% increase, reaching $2.1 billion.

India's exports to Algeria in 2022 exceeded $613 million, rising to US $750.72 Million in 2023. These exports include rice, pharmaceuticals, meat, pharmaceutical raw materials, chemicals, computer equipment and peripherals, optics, and a variety of food products such as grains and tea.

On the other hand, Algeria’s exports to India in 2022 were valued at $1.84B, but fell to just over $885 million in 2023. 

These exports primarily consisted of “Crude Petroleum ($1.13B), Petroleum Gas ($298M), and Nitrogenous Fertilizers ($245M).”

Indian Objection

The "new chapter" that the two countries are seeking to open, according to observers, follows tensions surrounding Algeria's non-membership in the BRICS bloc. 

Algerian state and non-state media have launched attacks on India over its alleged objection to Algeria's accession to the organization.

According to Al-Estiklal, President Tebboune, who, without naming India directly, said in a statement "Those who tried to prevent Algeria from joining BRICS should know that they have not, and will not, influence Algeria [...] the future will reveal all."

The government newspaper el Moudjahid more explicitly accused a BRICS member state of obstructing Algeria’s accession to the group, claiming that this country acted "under the orders of a modest Gulf emirate, which is orchestrating behind the scenes pressure as devious as it is “strategic” on the rest of the members, ensuring that Algeria is eliminated." 

However, despite the underlying tensions, the increasing pace of official visits and economic and military agreements suggests that the two nations are working to move past the BRICS dispute and restore the high level of Algerian-Indian relations that characterized the 1970s and 1980s, before it somewhat declined in recent decades.

“The two countries have not exchanged visits at the presidential level since the last visit by former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to New Delhi, in 2001. While the last visit by a senior Algerian official to India was in January 2019, it was the then Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel,” according to Echorouk Online.

Meanwhile, the last high-level Indian visit to Algeria occurred in October 2019, when Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari visited the country.

The roots of the relationship between the two countries stretch back to before Algeria's independence in 1962, when India supported Algeria's right to independence from French colonial rule. This solidarity continued post-independence, with both countries consistently backing each other in international forums, particularly within the frameworks of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations.

Selective Bias

Regarding the increasing frequency of official meetings and visits between the two countries, Zoheir Bouamama, a professor of political science and international relations, described the timing of the move to revitalize and reactivate Algerian-Indian relations as highly appropriate, particularly in light of the current global circumstances.

According to Al-Estiklal, in an interview with Algeria's official Algeria International channel, Bouamama noted that strengthening relations is beneficial for both countries, as they both recognize the importance of each other.

"The bilateral relationship is not new, but what is new is the decision to restore the ties to their optimal state by rebuilding the historic bridges that once existed between them," Bouamama said.

Bouamama argued that a solid historical foundation exists between the two nations, pointing out that the strategic assessment of each country's position has led to the conclusion that revitalizing their bilateral relations is now essential.

Bouamama noted that the two countries share similar foreign policy orientations, particularly in their emphasis on "strategic autonomy," which means a commitment to independent foreign decision-making and advocating for a multipolar world.

"India represents a real opportunity for Algeria, given that it is an emerging power that piques the interest of major economic powers, who see it as a strategic asset in their efforts to counter the rising influence of China," he concluded.

On the other hand, political science professor Ismail Hammoudi suggested that India’s pivot towards Algeria comes in the context of tension between the two nations, following Algeria’s failure to join the BRICS group.

Hammoudi told Al-Estiklal that "Algerian media placed the blame for Algeria's stalled accession to BRICS squarely on India," adding, "Some even accused India of acting on instructions from what they referred to as a ‘small Gulf state,’ a clear reference to the UAE. This has been a point of contention for both India and the UAE."

"India's president may have sought to appease Algeria and restructure the relationship between the two countries, as reported by Algerian media." However, Hammoudi cautioned, "It’s important to remember that India’s president is not an executive authority, and her powers are largely symbolic. Any expectations from her visit are subject to the approval of the Indian government and its prime minister."

Hammoudi concluded that India is pursuing a new approach in its international relations, positioning itself as the "voice of the Global South," and adopting a policy of "selective alignment," driven by national interests.

He argued that this approach enables India to act based on its own priorities, allowing it to avoid aligning with any global bloc, whether Western or Eastern.

Diversifying Partners

Political researcher and president of the Maghreb Association for Peace, Cooperation, and Development, Walid Kabir, asserted that Algeria’s turn towards India is driven by the Algerian regime’s attempt to diversify its partners, especially given the historically strong ties between the two countries over the past few decades.

In an interview with Al-Estiklal, Kbir explained that "the Algerian regime has come to believe that it is necessary to revive cooperation with India, despite India being a strategic ally of Israel."

"Although the real power in India lies with the Prime Minister, and not the President, who holds a more ceremonial role, the purpose of the recent visit by India's President was to strengthen bilateral ties."

"The Algerian regime has decided that diversifying its partners is essential, which is why it has turned to India, which it implicitly accused—through el Moudjahid newspaper—of obstructing Algeria’s accession to the BRICS bloc," Kabir concluded.

Meanwhile, the head of the Centre for Islamic Studies in New Delhi, Zikr Rahman, argued that the increasing frequency of bilateral visits marks the opening of a new chapter in Algerian-Indian relations, one focused on strengthening economic ties.

In an opinion piece titled "A Visit that Strengthens Indian-Algerian Relations", the Indian scholar noted that one of the central themes in the discussions between India and Algeria was the development of trade and investment between the two countries.

"India was not only among the first nations to establish diplomatic relations with Algeria but also played a leading role in supporting Algeria's liberation, including opening a representative office for the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic in New Delhi in 1959," Rahman said.

According to Rahman, India supported Algeria’s liberation movement from its inception, with the National Liberation Front (FLN) maintaining an office in India from the late 1950s into the early 1960s.

He concluded by noting that, although many Indian companies are currently operating in Algeria, both in the public and private sectors, "there is no doubt that trade and economic relations have not yet reached their full potential, and there is much more to be done between the two countries."