Malawi and Indian business captains on Tuesday met in Blantyre to explore investment opportunities and promote manufacturing partnerships to boost the country ’s industrialisation drive and trade between the two countries.
The Business-to-Business (B2B) meeting, held at the Chichiri International Conference Centre in Blantyre, was facilitated by the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) in collaboration with the Indian High Commission in Lilongwe.
The event attracted companies in agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy, water treatment, tourism and financial technology sectors.
In an interview, Minister of Industrilisation, Business, Trade and Tourism Simon Itaye said the engagement reflects Malawi’s commitment to creating strategic partnerships that support industrial growth and economic transformation.
value addition. | Orama Chiphwanya
He said: “It is not enough for Malawi to remain an exporter of raw materials. We want to see investment that promotes value addition, manufacturing and job creation.
“This engagement provides a platform for investors to understand the opportunities that exist in Malawi and to establish long-term partnerships with local businesses.”
Itaye said the government remains committed to improving the business environment through policy reforms, infrastructure development and investment incentives.
On his part, MCCCI president Wisely Phiri said the meeting represents a shift towards strengthening Malawi’s production capacity and reducing reliance on imports.
He said: “For a long time, Malawi has exported raw materials and imported finished products. This meeting is an opportunity to reverse that trend.
“We want investors to establish manufacturing industries here because the raw materials are readily available.”
Phiri, who is founder and managing director of Sparc System Limited, cited rubber as one example which Malawi continues to export in raw form while importing finished goods from the same.
“This is a gap that investors can exploit by establishing manufacturing plants locally. That way, we create jobs, retain value in the economy and strengthen our industrial base,” he said.
Phiri further said the engagement also provided an opportunity for local businesses to form joint ventures with Indian firms.
“This is not just about foreign investment, but partnerships. We want Malawian businesses to collaborate with Indian companies, share knowledge, adopt new technologies and grow together,” he said.
Leader of the Indian delegation, Vikas Agrawal, said Indian firms are keen to explore Malawi’s investment potential and establish mutually beneficial partnerships.
“We are here to understand the local market, identify opportunities and build sustainable partnerships. Our goal is to invest in sectors that will not only benefit our companies, but also contribute to Malawi’s economic development,” he said.
On his part, Indian High Commissioner Amararam Gujar said Malawi offers attractive investment opportunities due to its stable political environment and untapped resources.
“Indian companies are increasingly looking at Africa for investment opportunities and Malawi stands out because of its potential and the willingness of government and private sector to engage,” he said.
The meeting was expected to result in investment partnerships, technology transfer and increased manufacturing activities in line with Malawi 2063 strategy’s industrialisation agenda.
