• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan led a high-ranking Indian military delegation on an official visit to Algeria from October 31 to November 3. 

• The visit was part of a broader endeavour to strengthen India-Algeria relations which have seen increasing cooperation in recent years, particularly in the areas of trade, education, technology and defence.

• Gen Chauhan and Chief of Staff of Algerian People’s National Army General Said Chanegriha,  signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in defence cooperation between both sides. 

• This MoU represents not only a step forward in bilateral military cooperation but also lays down the foundation for long-term collaboration across a variety of sectors.

• Another highlight of the visit was the military parade and ceremony commemorating Algeria’s 70th anniversary of revolution against French colonial rule, where Gen Chauhan was the guest of honour.

• The visit by Gen Chauhan to Algeria came weeks after President Droupadi Murmu visited the African nation from October 13 to 15.

India-Algeria Relations

• Diplomatic relations between India and Algeria were established in July 1962, the year Algeria gained independence from French colonial rule. 

• Since then, the relations between the two countries have been cordial. 

• Both countries were part of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and shared developing country solidarity. Both countries have been supporting each other on issues at bilateral and multilateral levels.

• A Joint Commission Mechanism (JCM) was established by an agreement in 1981 to deal with bilateral issues and issues of common interest.

• Bilateral trade reached a peak of $2.9 billion in 2018 and declined drastically to $1.5 billion in 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19 and import restriction strategies of Algeria arising from its forex crisis. 

• The trade rebounded by 24 per cent in 2022 and reached $2.1 billion. Exports from India to Algeria during 2022-23 were $613 million which further increased to $848.16 million in 2023-24. 

• India’s exports to Algeria consist of rice, pharmaceutical products, polyethylene terephthalate, granite and boneless meat, etc. India’s imports from Algeria consist largely of petroleum oils, LNG, natural calcium phosphates, saturated methanol and urea.

• There are a number of Indian corporations operating in Algeria in both public and private sector.

• India and Algeria signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of space sciences, technologies and application in 2018.

• There are nearly 4,000 Indians working in various projects and establishments in the country, many of them technically skilled persons working on projects in remote areas. A large number of workers are semi-skilled and work as masons, carpenters, painters and welders.

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