India and Brunei Strengthen Trade and Economic Cooperation

India and Brunei Darussalam have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral trade, improving market access and strengthening economic cooperation across several sectors. The two countries reviewed their commercial relationship during the third meeting of the India–Brunei Darussalam Joint Trade Committee (JTC), held on October 14, 2026.

The discussions focused on creating new opportunities for businesses, facilitating Indian agricultural exports, strengthening pharmaceutical and healthcare cooperation, and expanding partnerships in traditional and emerging energy sectors.

Both countries also explored ways to encourage investment, strengthen business-to-business engagement and promote tourism and commercial exchanges.

India and Brunei Review Bilateral Trade Relations

The third Joint Trade Committee meeting was co-chaired by Amit Verma, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and Dr. May Fa’ezah Ahmad Ariffin, Permanent Secretary (Economy & Trade), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Brunei Darussalam.

Representatives from relevant ministries, government departments and organisations of both countries participated in the discussions.

The meeting provided an institutional platform to review existing trade and economic cooperation while identifying opportunities to strengthen commercial relations.

Both sides examined measures to address market access priorities, facilitate trade and establish mechanisms that would enable businesses from India and Brunei to develop closer commercial partnerships.

Agricultural Exports and Food Security Emerge as Important Priorities

Agriculture and food products featured prominently in the discussions, reflecting opportunities to expand India’s exports to Brunei Darussalam.

Both countries deliberated on facilitating the export of Indian agricultural and animal products to Brunei. The initiative aims to diversify bilateral trade while contributing to Brunei’s food security requirements.

India’s agricultural production and food-processing capabilities provide opportunities to develop commercial partnerships in food supply and related services.

Improved market access and cooperation between relevant authorities could help Indian exporters establish stronger commercial relationships with importers and distributors in Brunei.

Expanding agricultural trade would also create opportunities for Indian producers, food-processing enterprises and exporters seeking greater access to Southeast Asian markets.

Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Cooperation Receive Greater Attention

Pharmaceuticals and healthcare were identified as important sectors for expanding economic cooperation between India and Brunei.

Both sides explored opportunities for regulatory collaboration, pharmaceutical procurement and healthcare services.

India’s established pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities and healthcare industry offer a foundation for closer engagement with Brunei’s healthcare sector.

Cooperation between regulatory agencies could facilitate discussions on market access, product requirements and pharmaceutical trade.

The two countries also examined opportunities to strengthen healthcare services cooperation, creating scope for greater interaction between medical institutions, healthcare providers and industry representatives.

The discussions reflect the potential for India’s pharmaceutical and healthcare industries to contribute to stronger bilateral economic relations.

Traditional and Emerging Energy Partnerships Discussed

Energy cooperation formed another significant component of the Joint Trade Committee meeting.

India and Brunei reviewed opportunities for collaboration in traditional and emerging energy sectors, recognising the importance of reliable energy partnerships for industrial development and economic growth.

Brunei is an established energy-producing country, while India’s expanding industrial economy creates opportunities for sustained engagement across the energy value chain.

The discussions highlighted the potential to deepen existing commercial relationships while exploring new areas of energy cooperation.

Broader engagement in the sector would complement the two countries’ efforts to diversify economic cooperation and strengthen long-term industrial partnerships.

Tourism and Business Exchanges to Strengthen Commercial Engagement

India and Brunei also emphasised the importance of strengthening people-to-people connections through tourism, trade fairs, exhibitions and commercial outreach programmes.

Both countries recognised that greater interaction between businesses could help identify commercial opportunities and encourage investment.

Targeted trade promotion events and reciprocal business delegations emerged as important mechanisms for connecting companies, investors and industry associations.

Participation in trade fairs and exhibitions would provide Indian businesses with opportunities to showcase their products and services in Brunei while enabling Bruneian enterprises to explore partnerships in India.

Tourism cooperation could further strengthen bilateral engagement by encouraging travel, cultural interaction and closer connections between the two countries.

Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Services Offer Investment Opportunities

The Joint Trade Committee identified manufacturing, infrastructure and services as promising areas for greater business engagement.

Both countries discussed how trade promotion activities and reciprocal business delegations could help businesses identify investment opportunities across these sectors.

India’s manufacturing ecosystem, infrastructure development programmes and expanding services industry offer opportunities for collaboration with Bruneian enterprises.

Closer engagement between industry representatives could support commercial partnerships, encourage investment discussions and create opportunities for companies seeking to diversify their international operations.

The emphasis on business-to-business exchanges also reflects a shared interest in translating government-level cooperation into commercial opportunities for enterprises in both countries.

Joint Trade Committee to Monitor Progress and Facilitate Cooperation

India and Brunei reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining regular communication between the relevant government agencies and working groups.

These institutional mechanisms will help monitor follow-up actions and advance the trade and investment objectives discussed during the meeting.

Regular engagement between designated agencies is expected to facilitate coordination on market access, trade promotion and sector-specific cooperation.

The Joint Trade Committee provides a structured platform for addressing commercial priorities while enabling both countries to review progress and identify emerging opportunities.

Both sides agreed that the next meeting of the India–Brunei Darussalam Joint Trade Committee will take place in Brunei Darussalam.

India–Brunei Economic Partnership Gains Momentum

The third Joint Trade Committee meeting marks another step towards strengthening India’s economic engagement with Brunei Darussalam and expanding its commercial partnerships in Southeast Asia.

The discussions demonstrated a shared commitment to diversifying bilateral trade beyond existing sectors and building stronger cooperation in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, energy, manufacturing and services.

For Indian enterprises, closer engagement with Brunei presents opportunities to expand exports, develop commercial relationships and explore new markets within Southeast Asia.

The continued institutional dialogue, combined with greater participation from businesses and industry organisations, will support the development of a broader and more diversified economic partnership between India and Brunei Darussalam.

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References

1. Press Information Bureau, Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
India and Brunei Darussalam Review Bilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation at Third Joint Trade Committee Meeting
Published: October 14, 2026
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2323562

2. Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India
Official website: https://commerce.gov.in/

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