Mozambique is looking to deepen its agricultural ties with India, drawing on Indian know-how in Agro-processing and offering its ports as a doorway to the markets of Southern Africa.
Antonio Do Rosario Grispos, Mozambique’s Secretary of State for Trade, shared the plan on the sidelines of the Bharat International Rice Conference in India. He said his country wants to work more closely with India on agricultural technology and processing, while also positioning itself as a gateway for Indian businesses hoping to reach customers across the region.
“We want to increase that through agro-processing, experience these techniques from India, and open our borders and markets for the Southern African countries through Mozambique’s ports,” he said.
At the heart of the relationship is rice. Mozambique imports around 600,000 tonnes of the grain every year, and most of it comes from India. For Grispos, that makes India far more than a supplier. “That’s why India plays a particular role in food security in Mozambique,” he said, adding that the partnership could grow further to help feed the country and strengthen agricultural trade.
Geography, he suggested, is Mozambique’s other great asset. Its ports serve as vital entry points for landlocked countries in Southern Africa, which opens the way for smoother regional commerce and better market access for Indian companies. Closer cooperation in Agro-processing, he said, would let Mozambique tap Indian experience and technology to build up its own farm sector, while creating stronger links between India and the wider African continent.
The conversation also had a deeply personal side. Grispos pointed to the long-shared history between the two nations, noting that the Indian community has lived in Mozambique for more than five centuries. He then spoke about his own roots. “My grandfather came from Goa, so there is Indian blood in my veins also. I am more than proud to be here. I feel Indian, and I feel proud of this great nation,” he said.
Turning to diplomacy, Grispos described India as a strategic partner for Mozambique and said relations stand on firm ground. He highlighted the close bond between Mozambican President Daniel Chapo and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the alignment between the two governments is helping drive engagement forward.
“We have a very strong connection between the governments of India and Mozambique. India is a strategic partner to Mozambique,” he said.
The Bharat International Rice Conference brings together stakeholders from across the rice value chain to explore opportunities, build international trade partnerships and discuss ways to improve food security. For India and Mozambique, the emphasis on Agro-processing, rice trade and regional market access points to room for cooperation that goes well beyond the trade already taking place.
If the two sides turn these ambitions into agreements, the benefits could stretch far beyond their borders: a steadier rice supply for Mozambique, new commercial routes for Indian businesses, and a stronger link between South Asia and Southern Africa.