Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reaffirmed India's growing strategic and economic ties with Africa, calling India and the African Union “partners in progress” and “pillars of the Global South.”
The remarks came during a joint press briefing with Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, who is on a state visit to India. Highlighting the scope of India-Africa cooperation, Modi underscored trade volumes nearing USD 100 billion, credit lines worth USD 12 billion, and growing collaboration in key sectors such as defence, maritime security, and digital infrastructure.
“India and the African Union are partners in progress and pillars of the Global South,” Modi said. “Under Angola’s presidency, the strength of our partnership will continue to grow. Over the past decade, we have significantly expanded our engagement with African nations.”
He noted that India has opened 17 new embassies across Africa in the last 10 years and provided USD 700 million in grants. Vocational training centres have been established in eight countries, while digital public infrastructure projects are underway in five.
In defence cooperation, the Prime Minister highlighted last month’s first-ever India-Africa naval maritime exercise as a milestone in strengthening security ties. He also thanked Angola for its continued support in India's fight against cross-border terrorism.
“We are committed to taking firm and decisive action against terrorism and those who support it,” Modi said. “We thank Angola for its solidarity, particularly in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. We stand united in recognising terrorism as a major threat to humanity.”
Modi extended India’s best wishes to Angola on assuming the chairmanship of the African Union. He emphasized that the Union's permanent membership in the G20, secured during India’s presidency, reflects the growing global importance of African nations.
Earlier in the day, Modi met with President Lourenco at Hyderabad House, accompanied by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The leaders held bilateral talks focusing on deepening cooperation across various sectors.
The visit is seen as a reaffirmation of India’s strategic outreach to Africa and its commitment to enhancing South-South cooperation. (Reported by ANI)
