India’s Engagements with Jordan

Why in News?

As part of a three nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman from 15-18 December, 2025 PM Narendra Modi was in Amman on December 15-16, where he held extensive discussions with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan on the 15^th of December 2025.

What are the engagements of India-Jordan bilateral relations over the years?

• Background – India and Jordan enjoy warm relations based on mutual respect.
• Diplomatic ties were formalized in 1950 after the first agreement for cooperation and friendly relations was signed in 1947.
• This year marks the 75^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
• PM visited Jordan in February 2018, in transit, during his visit to State of Palestine.
• This was followed by King Abdullah-II’s state visit to India from 27 February to 1 March 2018.
• During this visit there were delegation-level talks, a CEO’s Roundtable, a joint address at the conference on ‘Islamic Heritage: Promoting Understanding & Moderation’, and the signing of 12 MoUs/Agreements.
• Trade and Economic Cooperation – Over the years, economic relations between India and Jordan have strengthened significantly, with bilateral trade showing robust growth.
• India is the fourth largest trading partner of Jordan.
• In the financial year 2023–24, total India-Jordan trade reached US$ 2.875 billion, with India’s exports to Jordan amounting to US$ 1,465 billion.
• Institutional frameworks underpinning this trade include the Trade and Economic Joint Committee (TEJC), set up under the 1976 Trade Agreement, and other dialogue mechanisms such as maritime and sector-specific working groups.

• Defence Relations – India and Jordan signed an MoU on Defence Cooperation in 2018.
• In 2024, a three-member Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force delegation attended the Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX) in Aqaba.
• A Jordanian Royal Navy delegation also visited India. They toured the Southern Naval Command Kochi and the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
• This visit took place from April 29 to May 4, 2024.
• Science and Tech – The Indian-Jordan Center of Excellence in Information Technology (IJCOEIT), a next-generation IT facility at Al-Hussein Technical University (HTU), was inaugurated on 02 October 2021.
• The Center is equipped with state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, including the Super Computer PARAM Shavak and advanced training facilities.
• The Government of India conducts master trainer courses for Jordanian experts in emerging fields such as Cyber Security, Web Development, Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, etc., who in turn train Jordanian youth at IJCOEIT.
• It is envisioned that 3000 Jordanian experts/professionals would be nurtured at the Center.
• On the sidelines of the 4th round of Foreign Office Consultation with Jordan held in Amman, Secretary (CPV & OIA) and JS(WANA) visited the India-Jordan Center of Excellence in IT (IJCoEIT) at the Al-Hussein Technical University (HTU).
• Education – India and Jordan are strengthening ties in education and capacity building.
• India is a popular study destination for Jordanian students.
• There are 50 slots for Jordan under the Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme of Ministry of External Affairs.
• People-to-People Ties – More than 2,500 Jordanians have graduated from Indian universities.
• In 2024-25, Jordan used 37 civilian ITEC slots, 4 special executive programmes, and 5 ICCR scholarships.
• India and Jordan signed a Manpower Agreement and a visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders during King Abdullah II’s visit to India in March 2018.
• Around 17,500 Indian nationals currently live in Jordan, mostly working in textiles, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, nursing, universities, IT, financial companies and UN agencies.
• Jordan provides Visa on Arrival to Indian tourists since 2009 and e-Visas since 2023.
• There is a direct flight from Amman to Mumbai. Both countries cooperated during the evacuation of Indian nationals from Israel under Operation Sindhu.
• Cultural Exchanges – There is strong interest in Jordan for Indian culture, especially Bollywood films.
• Regular cultural exchanges involving dance and music, as also events on Yoga Day take place between the two countries on a regular basis.
• Most recently, in July 2024, an ICCR sponsored “Natraj Sanskritik Silpi Samaj” cultural troupe performed Assamese Folk Dance at the 38th Jerash festival of Culture and Arts, the signature cultural festival of Jordan.

What are the Outcomes of PM’s Visit?

• Strengthening ties Engagements – Both the leaders discussed ways to further deepen bilateral engagement in the fields of:
  • Trade and investment
  • Defense and security
  • Renewable energy
  • Fertilizer and agriculture
  • Innovation
  • It and digital technologies
  • Critical minerals
  • Infrastructure
  • Health and pharma
  • Education and capacity
  • Tourism and heritage
  • Culture and people-to-people ties.
• Bilateral trade – Prime Minister proposed that the two countries should aim to enhance bilateral trade to US$ 5 billion over the next 5 years.
• Digital payments – He also called for collaboration between Jordan’s digital payment system and India’s United Payments Interface (UPI).
• Investing in Fertilizers – Jordan is an important supplier of fertilizer to India, and companies on both sides are in discussions for further substantive investment in Jordan to meet growing demand for phosphatic fertilizer in India.
• Peace & Security – The two leaders conveyed strong appreciation and support for each other’s fight against terrorism and condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
• They shared perspectives on the developments in the region and on other global issues and reiterated the importance of restoring peace and stability in the region.
• MoU’s signed between India and Jordan
  • MoU on Technical Cooperation in the Field of New and Renewable Energy
  • MoU on Cooperation in the field of Water resources Management & Development
  • Twinning Agreement between Petra and Ellora
  • Renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2025-2029
  • Letter of Intent on Cooperation in the field of sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for digital transformation

What lies ahead?

• The India-Jordan, ties demonstrate how sustained political engagement reinforces economic and other outcomes for strong bilateral relations.
• Regular consultations, leadership-level meetings, and shared perspectives on regional stability and counter-terrorism have added strategic depth to the partnership.
• The engagements and outcomes of the recent high-level visit will further consolidate these gains.
• As India deepens its West Asia engagement, Jordan’s role as a reliable economic and political partner remains significant, reflecting a balanced relationship built on trust, trade, and strategic alignment.

Reference

PIB| India – Jordan Relation