ANDALIB AKHTER / NEW DELHI
INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a bilateral visit to Jordan from Monday at the invitation of King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein. The visit, Prime Minister Modi’s first full-fledged bilateral engagement with Jordan, coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and comes amid sustained high-level political engagement between New Delhi and Amman.
Jordan is a major supplier of fertilizers to India, especially phosphates and potash, which are vital for India’s agricultural needs. A prominent example of this partnership is the Jordan India Fertilizer Company, an 860-million-US-dollar joint venture between India’s IFFCO and the Jordan Phosphates Mines Company. The venture focuses on producing and exporting phosphoric acid to India, reinforcing the country’s food security.
Beyond fertilizers, nearly 15 garment companies of Indian origin operate in Jordan’s Qualified Industrial Zones, with total investments close to 500 million US dollars. These firms take advantage of Jordan’s free trade agreements and preferential access to markets in the United States, Europe, and the Arab region, exporting finished goods worldwide. We now turn to Indian Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Shri Manish Chauhan.
Connectivity between the two nations has also strengthened, with Royal Jordanian introducing direct flights between Amman and Mumbai and plans underway to extend services to New Delhi. Jordan’s visa-on-arrival and e-visa facilities for Indian citizens further ease travel for business and tourism. Additionally, Jordan is viewed as a key partner in the proposed India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), where it is expected to serve as a strategic land bridge connecting major regional markets.