Jordan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, December 16, underscored the need for a long-term economic partnership between India and Jordan, highlighting that India is Jordan’s third-largest trading partner.
Addressing the India-Jordan Business Forum in Amman, the Prime Minister said trade figures mattered, but the real objective was to revive historic links and translate them into future prosperity for both countries.
Trade, Growth And A Shared Economic Vision
Speaking at the forum, PM Modi said India’s current growth trajectory offered fresh opportunities for Jordanian investors and businesses. “India is the third largest trading partner of Jordan. In the world of business, numbers have immense value. We are here not just to count numbers but to build a long-term relationship,” he said. Referring to historic trade routes that once connected Gujarat to Europe via Petra, he added that old links needed to be revived for future growth.
The Prime Minister noted that India’s growth rate of over eight per cent was driven by productivity, governance and innovation-led policies. He said the world now required a new growth engine and trusted supply chains, adding that India and Jordan together could play a meaningful role in meeting this global demand.
Bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at USD 2.8 billion. Jordan is a key supplier of fertilisers to India, particularly phosphates and potash, while over 17,500 members of the Indian diaspora work across sectors such as textiles, construction and manufacturing in the Arab nation.
Culture, Tourism And Sectoral Cooperation
PM Modi said Jordan had emerged as a bridge for cooperation with multiple regions under the leadership of King Abdullah II. He noted that discussions with the King focused on converting geography into opportunity and opportunity into growth.
At the business forum, the Prime Minister also highlighted the potential for culture and heritage tourism, saying both countries were proud of their civilisational heritage. He encouraged collaboration through film festivals and said India expected a strong Jordanian presence at the upcoming WAVES summit.
Pointing to agriculture as another area of cooperation, PM Modi said India’s experience in cultivation in dry climates could be valuable for Jordan. He added that recent MoUs signed in culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and the Petra-Ellora twinning arrangement would give fresh momentum to bilateral ties.
PM Modi arrived in Amman on Monday for a two-day visit, the first leg of his four-day, three-nation tour that will also take him to Ethiopia and Oman.
