Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday received a grand ceremonial welcome, including a 21-gun salute, as he began official engagements during his one-day visit to Namibia.
Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who assumed office in March this year, welcomed PM Modi ahead of one-on-one discussions and delegation-level talks.
PM Modi arrived in Namibia earlier in the day as part of the concluding leg of his five-nation tour. He received a traditional reception at Hosea Kutako International Airport, where he was welcomed by Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi.
Local musicians and dancers performed at the reception. In a moment that drew applause and cheer, the Prime Minister joined the performers and played Namibian drums, reflecting his warmth for local traditions.
PM Modi also paid homage to Dr. Sam Nujoma, the founding President of Namibia.
Shortly after landing, the Prime Minister shared his enthusiasm on X, posting: “Landed in Windhoek a short while ago. Namibia is a valued and trusted African partner with whom we seek to boost bilateral cooperation.”
The leaders are holding discussions to expand cooperation across sectors including energy, healthcare, education, digital technology, and development support. Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to address a Joint Session of the Namibian Parliament — a key moment in India-Namibia diplomatic relations.
India and Namibia share a long-standing relationship. New Delhi recognised Namibia’s struggle for independence long before the country gained freedom, raising its cause at the UN General Assembly as early as 1946.
Bilateral trade is largely focused on mineral resources such as zinc and diamond processing. Namibia is rich in natural resources, including uranium, copper, cobalt, rare earths, lithium, graphite, and tantalum — all of which are of interest to India.
India has also relocated a few cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park under its wildlife conservation efforts.
During this visit, cooperation on Unified Payment Interoperability will also move forward, following a technology agreement between the Central Bank of Namibia and the NPCI.
“In recent times, Namibia has discovered new oil fields. There will also be a broad understanding on partnerships in hydrocarbons. Namibia is keen to engage with us in agriculture and pharma, and we will be exploring India’s low-cost solutions like DPI, Janaushadhi, traditional medicine, and Ayurveda,” said Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) ahead of the visit.
—IANS
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