Indian prime minister kicks off 4-nation African visit

“Mozambique’s strengths are also the areas of India’s need”. For this, we formed the International Solar Alliance to counter climate change.

Mr Modi is scheduled to participate in events with Indian expatriates, hold talks with leaders, and woo businesses in South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya as well as Mozambique.

Noting that India and Mozambique are connected by the Indian Ocean, the Prime Minister talked about the “emerging security challenges”, including in the maritime areas, and said the two countries will step up security and defence cooperation.

Modi also said at the summit that India would offer $600 million in grants, including a $100-million development fund and a $10-million health fund.

The meetings form part of Modi’s official visit to the country.

On the first leg of his four-nation tour to the African continent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi donated four buses to the Centre for Innovation and Technological Development (CITD) and also planted a sapling during the visit here on Thursday. Terrorism impacts India and Mozambique equally.

Indian-African bilateral trade has multiplied 20 times in the last 15 years, and doubled in the five years up to March 2015, when it reached $72 billion. It remains to be seen whether South Africa will risk angering China – its strategic ally and largest trading partner in Asia – by agreeing to India’s demands.

“When you look at Africa, China is everywhere”.

India is bullish on Africa with its oil and gas riches. There is also speculation that part of the South Africa visit will include a request for support in India’s efforts to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The vehicles were handed over by Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the External Affairs Ministry, to an official of Mozambique’s Interior Ministry. Sinha noted the importance of the ports in these countries to Indian exporters and traders.

The Prime Minister commended Indian living in Mozambique for their ability to blend in with people of different cultures and yet maintain theur unique identity. “The countries being targeted show that India wants some investment destinations as well as mutual growth in sectors such as agriculture”, he told the Nikkei Asian Review. Both China and India have established roles as increasingly important powers in sub-Saharan African trade and development. “India is also looking to set up low-priced manufacturing bases there which can act as ancillary industries”. “He went to South Africa as a lawyer seeking work and returned to India as a strong voice for humanitarian values, who would go on to shape the history of humankind”, he said while speaking about it.