PM Modi in the Namibian Parliament.
Credit: X/@narendramodi
New Delhi: India’s engagement with Africa is based on respect, equality, and mutual benefit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday as he addressed the parliament of Namibia during the last leg of his five-nation tour.
He said that India was ready to expand its defence and security cooperation with the countries in Africa. He received Namibia’s highest civilian honour – Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis – from the President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. He is the first Indian to receive the highest honour of Namibia.
“In 2018, I laid out ten principles of our engagement with Africa. Today, I reaffirm India’s full commitment to them. They are based on respect, equality, and mutual benefit. We seek not to compete, but to cooperate. Our goal is to build together. Not to take, but to grow together,” the prime minister said in Windhoek, subtly drawing the line between India’s and China’s approaches for engagement with the continent.
He said that India’s development partnership in Africa was worth over 12 billion dollars. “But its real value is in shared growth and shared purpose. We continue to build local skills, create local jobs, and support local innovation,” said the prime minister.
China has expanded its footprint across Africa but has often been criticised for its predatory lending practices that do not take into account local capacities and aspirations.
Modi said that India believed that Africa must not be just a source of raw materials. Africa must lead in value creation and sustainable growth. “That is why we fully support Africa’s Agenda 2063 for industrialisation. We are ready to expand our cooperation in Defence and Security. India values Africa’s role in world affairs. We championed Africa’s voice during our G20 presidency. And we proudly welcomed the African Union as a permanent member of the G20”.