Modi, King Abdullah II pitch deeper economic ties at India-Jordan Business Forum
New Delhi, December 16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and King Abdullah II on December 16 jointly addressed the India-Jordan Business Forum in Amman, urging companies from both countries to scale up business-to-business engagement and translate untapped potential into sustained economic growth.
The forum was attended by Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan, the country’s Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister of Investment, along with senior business leaders from both sides, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. Emphasising the importance of closer commercial links, the two leaders called on industry captains to play a leading role in strengthening the economic pillar of the bilateral relationship. King Abdullah II said Jordan’s network of free trade agreements, combined with India’s economic strength, could help create an economic corridor linking South Asia with West Asia and beyond.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said India and Jordan share a dynamic contemporary partnership rooted in deep civilisational ties. He lauded King Abdullah’s leadership, under which Jordan has emerged as a bridge connecting markets and regions while promoting business and growth. The Prime Minister proposed doubling bilateral trade to $5 billion over the next five years.
Highlighting India’s position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and its trajectory towards becoming the third-largest global economy, Modi said India offers vast opportunities for Jordanian businesses. He invited companies from Jordan to partner with India and tap into its 1.4 billion-strong consumer market, robust manufacturing base, and a stable, transparent and predictable policy environment. India and Jordan, he added, could work together as trusted supply-chain partners for global markets.
Referring to India’s growth of over 8 percent, Modi said the performance was driven by productivity-focused governance and innovation-led policies. He outlined opportunities for collaboration in digital public infrastructure, information technology, fintech, health-tech and agri-tech, and encouraged startups from both countries to work together in these areas.
The Prime Minister also pointed to complementarities between India’s strengths in pharmaceuticals and medical devices and Jordan’s strategic geographic location, which could help position Jordan as a hub for West Asia and Africa. Additional areas identified for business cooperation included agriculture, cold chains, food parks, fertilisers, infrastructure, automobiles, green mobility, and heritage and cultural tourism.
On sustainability, Modi called for closer India-Jordan collaboration in renewable energy, green financing, desalination and water recycling, aligning with India’s green growth initiatives.
The forum saw participation from business leaders across sectors such as infrastructure, health, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, agriculture, renewable energy, textiles, logistics, automobiles, energy, defence and manufacturing. Representatives from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Jordan Chamber of Commerce also took part; the two bodies have an existing memorandum of understanding to promote trade and economic cooperation between India and Jordan.
