India–South Sudan relations

Indian-South Sudanese relations

India	South Sudan

South Sudan–India relations refers to the bilateral ties between the Republic of India and the Republic of South Sudan.

India recognised South Sudan on 10 July 2011, a day after South Sudan became an independent state. At the moment relations are primarily economic.

Economic ties

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri wrote in the Hindustan Times that South Sudan "has other attractions. As the Indian Foreign Ministry's own literature notes, South Sudan [is] 'reported to has (sic) some of the largest oil reserves in Africa outside Nigeria and Angola.'" An article in the The Telegraph read that South Sudan is"one of the poorest [countries] in the world, [but] is oil rich. Foreign ministry officials said New Delhi has [a] keen interest in increasing its investments in the oil fields in South Sudan, which now owns over two-thirds of the erstwhile united Sudan's oil fields."

Infrastructure development

In return for the oil resources that can be provided by South Sudan, India said it was willing to assist in developing infrastructure, training officials in health, education and rural development. "We have compiled a definite road map using (sic) which India can help South Sudan."

Political ties

Indian engagement in the Republic of South Sudan prior to the civil war when Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, then the President of India addressed the then provincial assembly in Juba. India has supported South Sudan's territorial integrity on its border disputes with Northern Sudan and also with the border on Kenya.