Curated by Vinod Kumar Jain & Amit Jain · All Frontier Global · free, no login · reviewed 2026-07-05
Mesopotamia between the two rivers
Trade agreements (3): Iraq's external trade is limited by years of conflict, with Arab League/GAFTA ties its main framework; there is no India FTA, though Iraq is one of India's largest crude oil suppliers.
Passport strength: visa-free/VOA to ~32 destinations. Severely restricted; conflict status limits visa-free access.
India × Iraq hub ↗ All countries factsheet
Indian passport holders generally need a visa arranged in advance, with the federal government and the Kurdistan Region operating separate entry rules; the Kurdistan Region offers visas on arrival to many nationalities, while federal Iraq has been introducing visa-on-arrival for select passports.
e-Visa: yes · Visa on arrival: Varies by nationality
There is no metro; travel is by shared taxis, private cars and buses, with domestic flights linking Baghdad, Basra and Erbil, and taxis in cities where you should agree fares in advance.
Car vs taxi: Self-driving is not advisable for most visitors; hire a trusted local driver or use pre-arranged transport, and in cities agree taxi fares before setting off.
Money: The Iraqi dinar (IQD) is the currency and cash-based; US dollars are also widely used, and cards are accepted only at some hotels, so carry cash.
SIM & data: Buy a Zain, Asiacell or Korek SIM with your passport; coverage is good in cities, though data reliability varies by region.
Tipping: Tipping (baksheesh) is customary; leave around 10 percent at restaurants and small notes for drivers, porters and helpful attendants.
Etiquette: Dress modestly and conservatively, respect Islamic customs and Ramadan fasting, use the right hand for eating and greetings, and be mindful around religious shrines, which draw many pilgrims.
Food: Try masgouf (grilled river fish, a national favourite), kubba, dolma, biryani, and quzi (slow-cooked lamb with rice), with flatbread and sweet tea.
Say hello: Arabic — “As-salamu alaykum” · thanks “Shukran” · how much? “Bikam?”
Security is uneven and travel advisories are often cautionary; the Kurdistan Region (Erbil, Sulaymaniyah) is generally more stable than other areas, and independent travel elsewhere requires careful, up-to-date risk assessment.
For nomads: Baghdad and northern cities have emerging startup interest; security concerns and infrastructure gaps make sustained remote work challenging.
Education: Education infrastructure remains fragmented; international schools operate in secure zones only.
Healthcare: Public healthcare is limited and unsafe in many areas; private facilities concentrated in Baghdad.
somo-state-marketing
SOMO (Iraq State Oil Marketing Organisation) is the sole state-owned marketer of southern Iraqi crude (Basra Light + Basra Heavy + Basra Medium) · contracts on monthly OSP cycle.
India implication: Indian refiners (IOC, BPCL, HPCL, Reliance, Nayara) negotiate long-term contracts with SOMO for Basra-grade crude · IRAQ has been India's #1 crude supplier multiple years.
Outlook: SOMO sole-marketer role structural; pricing tracks OPEC+ + market cycles.
basra-grade-crude
Basra Light (32 API · 1.95% sulphur), Basra Heavy (28 API · 2.5% sulphur), Basra Medium (28-30 API) — Iraq's southern-export crude grades dominate Indian coastal refining slate.
India implication: Indian refiners optimise refining configurations around Basra-grade slate · Cochin, Mangalore, Vizag, Paradip refineries calibrated for Basra-grade processing.
Outlook: Basra-grade structural anchor of Indian crude slate; quality variations gradual.
Iraq is 2nd-largest OPEC producer behind Saudi (~4.5M b/d capacity) · OPEC+ quota compliance historically challenged · KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) production complicates federal accounting.
India: Iraq is India's #1 crude supplier multiple years · OPEC+ quota dynamics drive monthly Basra-grade availability + OSP cycles.
Iraq founding Arab League member · post-2003 invasion + post-ISIS recovery cycles drove gradual reintegration · GAFTA participant providing intra-Arab tariff preferences.
India: India-Iraq engagement primarily bilateral via SOMO crude trade · Arab League diplomatic coordination on Iraq reconstruction occasionally relevant.
HS 27 accounts for ~$25B+ annual Iraq-India export · SOMO-marketed Basra crude (Light + Heavy + Medium) dominates · Iraq has been India's #1 crude supplier multiple years.
India position: Indian refiners (IOC, BPCL, HPCL, Reliance, Nayara) optimise refining configurations around Basra-grade slate; long-term SOMO contracts.
HS 10 (cereals) is ~$1B annual India-Iraq export · Indian basmati rice + non-basmati rice + wheat exports via Iraqi state-trading framework.
India position: Indian rice exporters (KRBL, LT Foods, Adani Wilmar, Daawat) supply Iraqi market; basmati share dominant; AEPC promotes export.
India-Iraq green trade anchors on Iraqi gas-monetisation + petrochemical-derivative + Indian downstream feedstock + emerging green-transition cooperation; reconstruction-cycle volatility caps depth.
India angle: gas-monetisation + green-transition emerging
India-Iraq supply-chain resilience anchored by INSTC corridor (via Iran) + reconstruction-capex framework + crude-supply anchor (Iraq is #2 Indian crude-supplier post-Russia) + Indian-corporate (Larsen-Toubro, Bharat Heavy Electricals, ONGC-Videsh) reconstruction-engagement.
India angle: INSTC + reconstruction-capex + crude anchor
India’s role: India is the largest customer for Iraqi crude exports — IOC, BPCL, HPCL, Reliance, Nayara all build Iraqi-grade crude into long-term contracted slates, sustaining the corridor through OPEC+ output cycles.
Crude trade is Iraq→India directional ($25B+ annually) with Basra Light + Basra Heavy + Kirkuk grades shipped from southern + northern Iraq export terminals to Indian Cochin + Mangalore + Vizag + Paradip refineries — Iraq has been the #1 single-country Indian crude supplier for several years.
India’s role: India supplies basmati rice from Punjab + Haryana + Western UP cluster (KRBL, LT Foods, Amira, Adani Wilmar) plus non-basmati par-boiled rice for the food-security-anchored Iraqi public distribution structure.
Rice trade is India→Iraq directional ($800M+ annually) with basmati rice (premium grade) + non-basmati par-boiled rice shipped to Iraqi PDS (Public Distribution System) and retail markets — India is Iraq's largest single rice supplier covering 60-70% of Iraqi rice imports.
Indian passport holders generally need a visa arranged in advance, with the federal government and the Kurdistan Region operating separate entry rules; the Kurdistan Region offers visas on arrival to many nationalities, while federal Iraq has been introducing visa-on-arrival for select passports.
Iraq uses the Iraqi dinar (IQD). Capital: Baghdad.
Iraq's external trade is limited by years of conflict, with Arab League/GAFTA ties its main framework; there is no India FTA, though Iraq is one of India's largest crude oil suppliers.
Security is uneven and travel advisories are often cautionary; the Kurdistan Region (Erbil, Sulaymaniyah) is generally more stable than other areas, and independent travel elsewhere requires careful, up-to-date risk assessment.