Iran and India are set to significantly expand their agricultural trade ties, aiming to surpass the current $1 billion trade volume. This development follows high-level meetings held on the sidelines of the BRICS agriculture ministers’ summit, where both nations reaffirmed their commitment to deepening agricultural cooperation. The talks underscored the longstanding cultural, historical, and economic connections between the two countries, while signaling a new phase in their bilateral relationship.
Key discussions centered on reviewing previous agreements and setting the groundwork for future collaboration. The two nations emphasized the importance of enhancing agricultural trade and agreed to pursue new mechanisms that could streamline the export and import of various agricultural products. This includes efforts to address critical issues such as quarantine requirements, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and customs procedures that have previously hindered smoother trade flows.
A major step forward in this partnership is the agreement to establish a joint agricultural cooperation committee within the next three months. This body will serve as a formal platform for dialogue, aiming to improve coordination and policy alignment on agricultural trade and development. It will also be responsible for identifying priority areas of cooperation and formulating strategies to overcome existing trade barriers. As part of this framework, both countries have committed to convening the first joint working group on agricultural cooperation in the near future, further cementing the institutional basis for long-term collaboration.
Beyond bilateral engagement, Iran has expressed its readiness to collaborate with other BRICS member states in the agricultural domain. Iran highlighted its strategic geographical location at the crossroads of the North-South and East-West transit corridors, positioning itself as a valuable player in regional and international agricultural trade. This geographic advantage offers significant potential for facilitating the movement of agricultural goods and inputs, making Iran a natural conduit for broader trade networks among BRICS nations.
Iran’s participation in the BRICS agricultural platform marks a deeper integration into multilateral mechanisms that are being developed to bypass traditional financial and logistical obstacles. These include alternative financial instruments aimed at enabling smoother transactions among member states, reducing reliance on conventional trade routes and banking systems. By leveraging these tools, both Iran and India hope to overcome longstanding hurdles in trade finance and logistics.
The agricultural sectors of both countries offer complementary strengths. India, with its vast agricultural production capacity and technological advancements in farming, can offer expertise and investment. Iran, on the other hand, provides access to markets in Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe through its extensive transit corridors and trade agreements with neighboring countries.
This evolving cooperation is expected to lead to increased trade in key agricultural commodities, including rice, tea, spices, fresh fruits, and processed food products. There is also scope for joint ventures in agro-processing, research, and development, as well as the exchange of knowledge and best practices in sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient farming techniques.
Both sides expressed optimism about the future of their agricultural and economic relations, not only through the BRICS framework but also on a direct bilateral basis. The convergence of mutual interests, shared strategic goals, and complementary resources points toward a promising future where agriculture becomes a pillar of economic engagement between Iran and India.
