President Cyril Ramaphosa will use his visit to India for the BRICS summit to court investment in South Africa’s pharmaceutical, infrastructure, critical-minerals and electric-vehicle battery industries.
Ramaphosa arrived in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the two-day summit and will address an India-South Africa Business Leadership Roundtable on Saturday.
The Presidency said the meeting would focus on “enhancing bilateral trade and investment” and encouraging “additional Indian foreign direct investment” in the four targeted sectors.
The investment drive comes weeks after India and the Southern African Customs Union, which includes South Africa, revived negotiations for a preferential trade agreement after earlier talks stalled.
The two sides signed terms of reference for the negotiations in August. The proposed agreement would reduce tariffs on selected goods rather than create a comprehensive free-trade arrangement.
India is seeking improved access for exports including vehicles, pharmaceuticals and industrial machinery. The customs union wants to increase its exports to India, while South Africa’s critical minerals are of growing importance to Indian manufacturing and clean-energy industries.
India exported goods worth about $7.5 billion to the five-member customs union in 2025-26 and imported about $9.2 billion, mainly from South Africa.
The figures point to a substantial trading relationship, but Ramaphosa’s programme in New Delhi suggests the government wants to draw more Indian capital into productive sectors inside South Africa.
Critical minerals and the electric-vehicle battery value chain are central to South Africa’s efforts to move beyond exporting raw commodities and capture more value through domestic processing and manufacturing.
The pharmaceutical sector is also significant because India is a major supplier of medicines to South Africa, while the government is trying to increase local production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported health products.
Ramaphosa will address the BRICS Business Forum on Friday, focusing on trade and supply chains, agriculture, women-led development, the digital economy and innovation.
The Presidency said the forum brought together political leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and members of the BRICS Business Council and BRICS Women’s Business Alliance to help shape the grouping’s economic agenda.
South Africa will use the summit to press for expanded trade and investment among BRICS members, industrialisation and greater value addition. It will also seek investment in African infrastructure linked to the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Ramaphosa will participate in a closed meeting of BRICS leaders on Saturday dealing with global governance and multilateralism.
The discussion will focus on reform of the United Nations, the international financial system and the multilateral trading system. BRICS countries have repeatedly argued that developing economies remain underrepresented in institutions that make global political and economic decisions.
On Sunday, Ramaphosa will address an open session of BRICS members and invited leaders on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainable growth.
He will also hold bilateral meetings with heads of state and government and meet business leaders. The Presidency has not disclosed who he will meet.
Ramaphosa is accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Deputy Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Zuko Godlimpi.