India–Botswana Trade Relations Strengthen as President Visits Surat for SGCCI Global Village 2026

India–Botswana economic relations are entering a new phase, with Gujarat—particularly Surat—emerging as a strategic hub for bilateral trade, investment, and institutional cooperation. This momentum follows a recent business delegation visit to Botswana by industrialists from Surat under the aegis of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), held from 10–14 November alongside the official visit of Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Draupadi Murmu.

“This productive visit has broadened the scope of collaboration, now encompassing strong cooperation between not only India and Botswana, but specifically between Gujarat and Botswana, marking significant progress.”

Building on this engagement, SGCCI is set to host the second edition of SGCCI Global Village 2026 in Surat from 24–26 January 2026, a flagship international trade and business platform. In a significant diplomatic and economic development, Honourable Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, President of Botswana, will visit Surat with a high-level delegation from 22–25 January 2026, reinforcing growing ties between Botswana and South Gujarat.

SGCCI President Shri Nikhil Madrasi formally invited the President and Cabinet of Botswana to participate in Global Village 2026. Following confirmation of the visit, Shri Madrasi convened a high-level coordination meeting on 17 December with Botswana’s Minister of Energy and the Ambassador of India to finalize the visit agenda and institutional engagements.

During the Botswana visit, SGCCI also proposed a Twin Cities partnership between Surat and Gaborone, covering urban development, technology and talent exchange, medical tourism, education and student exchange programmes, and regular trade delegations and exhibitions. The proposal received a positive response, and a formal agreement is expected to be signed during the Botswana President’s visit to Surat. With these initiatives, SGCCI continues to position itself as a key catalyst in strengthening economic and diplomatic relations between Gujarat and African nations. Notably, Surat had earlier hosted the Vice President of Zimbabwe under SGCCI’s international outreach efforts.

KP Group Announces ₹36,000 Crore Renewable Energy Investment in Botswana

Parallel to trade and institutional cooperation, Surat-based KP Group has announced a major investment commitment in Botswana’s clean energy transition. The group will invest ₹36,000 crore (USD 4 billion) in renewable energy projects to support Botswana’s zero-emission goals.

KP Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Botswana, under which renewable energy capacity will be scaled up to 5 gigawatts in phases—500 MW by 2027, 2,500 MW by 2028, and 5 GW by 2030. The agreement was signed between Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms. Bokolo Joy, and KP Group.

The project is expected to generate employment for approximately 7,000 people during execution and over 1,500 permanent jobs post-completion, while providing solar power access to nearly one lakh households. The initiative further underscores the growing depth of India–Africa collaboration in sustainable infrastructure and green energy.