8) India, South Africa agree to cooperate in combating terrorism regionally and globally
- India and South Africa on 8th July signed Mou’s in four areas of co-operation. Both countries have signed MoUs in the area of Information and Communication technology, Tourism, Grass root innovation and ‘art, culture’ sport.
- Mr Modi called for strengthen partnership in the field of defence production, he said the defence sector in India has undergone a complete transformation which opens up new possibilities of co-operation in manufacturing defence equipment.
- This could meet not only domestic demand in both the countries but globally also. Talking about climate change Prime Minister thanked South Africa for its support in promoting global solar alliance which is an important forum foe sharing technology resources and experience in the renewable energy sector.
- Talking about combat terrorism, Prime Minister said that Terrorism is a shared threat and both countries must be vigilant and cooperate to combat terrorism, regionally and globally. Talking about economic relation outlines how the relation of both countries has advanced with concrete outcomes and the potential to expand eco ties further.
- On Both countries co-operation on International relation India and South Africa has decided to fasten their efforts for UN Security Council reforms and for democratization of the international institution.
Important points:
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing four nation tour to Africa — Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya — comes at a time when Africa is changing fast, with this change auguring well for India-Africa relations.
- In South Africa, an aspirational middle class is, by reliable accounts, splurging in malls and global coffee chain outlets. Mozambique is the latest market where the Made-in-India hatchback Renault Kwid has just gone on sale.
- In Tanzania, the mobile phone sector is one of the most sophisticated in Africa, not to forget Kenya, where growth of digital banking has ushered in next generation ATMs to help make bill payments and reduce wastage of time at long queues.
Modi’s visit is significant from two perspectives:
- First, it is a build-up of the momentum struck during the India-Africa Forum in October last year, which was the largest gathering of pan African leaders in India.
- The second factor is the growing importance of India and Africa to each other economically and strategically.
- India has been a strong partner in Africa’s growth story, underlined by progress, potential, profitability and expanding footprints of Indian industry. Africa’s is an emerging force with the continent’s collective GDP expected to touch $3.6 trillion by 2020, up from $2.1 trillion in 2011 and a burgeoning market projected to expand to $1.4 trillion by 2020, from $860 billion in 2008.
- Africa is key to India’s economic and maritime interests in the Indian Ocean region. The Prime Minister’s emphasis on the “blue economy initiative” which aims to build on maritime trade links between India and the countries situated along the Indian Ocean is significant.
- With South Africa, Kenya and Mozambique among these, is important for India to establish deeper links with Africa so as not to get crowded out by other Asian giants.
9) Modi visited ‘Phoenix settlement’
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India and South Africa are strategic partners and have similar aspirations and challenges. He Addressed the Indian Community in Durban. He also visited `Phoenix settlement` an Ashram in Durban that Mahatma Gandhi had set up during his days in South Africa.
- The Prime Minister also visited Pietermaritzburg and inaugurated an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi. The exhibition is being held in the same waiting hall where Gandhiji spent his night in 1893 after being thrown off the first class compartment of the train for being a non-white.
- Both countries have decided to advance the strategic ties to all sectors including trade, IT and capacity building among others.
10) India sets up apparel training centre in Nigeria
- India has set up an apparel training centre in Nigeria to support textiles industry of the west African country. This is a first of its kind centre in Nigeria, set up in partnership with their government.
- According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry the centre has been established in Kaduna, Nigeria under the Cotton Technical Assistance Programme for Africa.
- Nigeria is an important trading partner of India. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at 12.17 billion dollars last year as against 16.36 billion dollars in the previous fiscal.
- Nigeria is Africa`s biggest oil producer, and its major export to India is crude. There are over 100 Indian companies present in Nigeria mainly in telecom, hydrocarbons, textiles, chemicals, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, plastics, IT and auto sectors.