Indian PM Modi conferred with Namibia's highest civilian award
The Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis is the highest civilian award of Namibia.
The award was established in 1995, shortly after Namibia gained independence in 1990, to recognise distinguished service and leadership.
Named after the Welwitschia Mirabilis, a unique and ancient desert plant endemic to Namibia, the order symbolises resilience, longevity and the enduring spirit of the Namibian people.
This makes it the 27th award for PM Modi and the 4th award in this ongoing tour.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm ceremonial welcome in Namibia, the fifth country on his five-state visit. He received the ceremonial welcome at the State House in Namibia. The Indian national anthem was played during the event.
Later, Prime Minister Modi laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, 'Heroes' Acre', which features a white obelisk rising against the Auas Mountains, with 174 burial plots for national heroes.
PM Modi and the President of Namibia, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, also reviewed the full range of India-Namibia relations during the talks, which took place on Wednesday.
Sharing the details in a post on X, PM Modi said that discussions between India and Namibia were held on cooperation in areas such as digital technology, defence, security, agriculture, healthcare, education and critical minerals.
PM Modi underscored that discussions also saw how to boost linkages in trade, energy and petrochemicals. He expressed gratitude for the assistance from Namibia in Project Cheetah.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was warmly received by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the State House in Windhoek, Namibia, where the two leaders shook hands.
Earlier today, PM Modi arrived at the Hosea Kutako International Airport and was met with a warm reception, as he was greeted by the Namibian Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi.
PM Modi also warmly greeted members of the diaspora, shaking hands, listening to their enthusiastic messages, and graciously accepting gifts and portraits presented by the community.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister expressed his pride in the diaspora and how they have retained the connection with their culture and traditions.
"The Indian community in Namibia is extremely optimistic about closer India-Namibia friendship, and this is reflected in the special welcome in Windhoek. I am extremely proud of our diaspora, particularly how they have retained a connection with their culture and traditions," PM Modi stated.
India and Namibia share a historic relationship rooted in India's steadfast support for Namibia's struggle for independence. India was among the earliest advocates for Namibian freedom, raising the issue at the United Nations as early as 1946 and hosting the first overseas office of the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) in 1986.
Namibia is gaining renewed international attention due to its abundant reserves of uranium, copper, cobalt, rare earth minerals, and recent oil discoveries. The country is a significant player in the global mining industry, ranking as the world's fourth-largest producer of uranium oxide and also producing high-quality diamonds and zinc.
Bilateral trade between India and Namibia reached USD 814 million in 2023-24, with Indian exports accounting for more than half of this total. Indian investments in Namibia are estimated at nearly $800 million, primarily in the mining sector, including zinc and diamonds.
A notable example of the trust between the two nations is the successful translocation of eight cheetahs from Namibia to India's Kuno National Park in 2022, marking the world's first intercontinental transfer of a major carnivore species.
The countries are exploring opportunities to expand cooperation in mining, energy, health, agriculture and infrastructure. Negotiations for a Preferential Trade Arrangement between India and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), with Namibia as coordinator, are ongoing.
PM Modi arrived in Namibia after concluding his two-day State visit to Brazil, where he attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro and held bilateral talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.
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Times of Oman
10 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Indian PM Modi delivers 17 addresses in foreign parliaments, equals combined total of all Congress PMs
Windhoek [Namibia]: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday received a standing ovation and non-stop applause from lawmakers after his address at the Parliament of Namibia. This marked PM Modi's 17th address in a foreign nation's Parliament, matching the combined total of all Congress Prime Ministers before him. During his five-nation visit, PM Modi addressed parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Namibia. Congress Prime Ministers together - Manmohan Singh (7), Indira Gandhi (4), Jawaharlal Nehru (3), Rajiv Gandhi (2), and PV Narasimha Rao (1) - delivered 17 speeches in total. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during his tenure as PM, addressed the parliaments of other countries twice, while Morarji Desai had once addressed the parliament of another nation. PM Modi addressed the Parliaments of Australia, Fiji, Bhutan and Nepal in 2014. He delivered remarks at the Parliament of Mauritius, Mongolia, Afghanistan, the UK and Sri Lanka in 2015. PM Modi addressed the joint session of the US Congress in 2016 and again in 2023. He addressed the Parliament of Uganda in 2018. This was followed by the address to the Maldives Parliament in 2019. He addressed the Parliament of Guyana in 2024. This year, PM Modi addressed the Parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago and Namibia. In a post on X, the BJP stated that PM Modi has delivered 17 speeches to foreign Parliaments, matching the combined total of Congress PMs over several decades. "With his recent addresses in the Parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Namibia, PM Modi has now delivered 17 speeches to foreign Parliaments—matching the combined total of all Congress Prime Ministers over several decades. He has achieved in just over a decade what took others generations, reaffirming his stature as one of India's most globally respected leaders," the BJP posted on X. During his address to the Joint Session of the Namibian Parliament, PM Modi stated that the ties between India and Africa are based on respect, equality and mutual benefit. He stated that India seeks to cooperate with Africa and not to compete. PM Modi noted that India's development partnership in Africa is worth more than 12 billion dollars. He expressed India's support for Africa's Agenda 2063 Industrialisation and readiness to expand cooperation in defence and security. PM Modi said, "In 2018, I had 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. Our development partnership in Africa is 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." "We believe 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," he added. PM Modi recalled how India supported Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing vaccines and medicines. He mentioned that India's "Aarogya Maitri" initiative supports Africa with hospitals, equipment, medicines and training. PM Modi concluded his five-nation visit and departed for New Delhi on Wednesday, marking the end of a significant diplomatic journey that took him to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and finally Namibia.
Times of Oman
10 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Delegation-level talks covered wide gamut of issues...critical minerals: MEA on PM Modi's visit to Namibia
Windhoek [Namibia]: The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday highlighted that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Namibia, delegation-level talks covered a wide range of issues, with a significant focus on critical minerals. The discussions aimed to strengthen bilateral ties and explore opportunities for cooperation in various sectors Secretary (East), Dammu Ravi, during the MEA briefing said, "The delegation-level talks covered a wide gamut of issues, and both sides had the opportunity also to expand the existing cooperation. The bilateral relationship, as you know, is underpinned by trade and economic interest ... investments on both sides." India and Namibia discussed potential partnerships in the critical mineral sector, including a proposed Critical Mineral Partnership Agreement. Namibia's rich deposits of uranium, copper, cobalt, and rare earths make it an attractive partner for India. Emphasising the upward trajectory of bilateral trade, he noted, "The trade is about $600 million in favor of India, marginally, and investments from India are about $800 million, and the cooperation that we discussed was in the area of natural resources, because as you know that Namibia is endowed with rich natural resources like diamonds, lithium, copper, cobalt, graphite, all of these rich critical minerals are useful for our industry." "I mean that defense or critical minerals are some of the areas that were discussed. In defense, Namibia is interested in procurement of equipment from India. And we offered them a line of credit, especially for the defense. We have one for civil also," said India's High Commissioner to Namibia, Rahul Shrivastava, who participated in the briefing. Other avenues of collaboration discussed included health, capacity building, and the agri sector. "The cooperation in the area of health was discussed, which also included the possibility of Janaushadhi being introduced in Namibia, also supply of medicines and direct sourcing from India. The cooperation in the area of agriculture was another item that came up in the discussions, and there again, as Namibia has huge land tracts, there is a possibility of India supporting with equipment, machinery, and able to grow food crops for the food security of Namibia," said Dammu Ravi. Congratulating Namibia on electing its first woman president, Ravi said, "This visit is taking place after 27 years by Prime Minister of India, and it is also the time when the President of Namibia has just assumed her office in March this year after a landslide victory, which means that there will be continuity in our relationship, and it will facilitate further deepening of the relationship." Defence cooperation, another area that came up for discussion, and most importantly, in the digital public infrastructure. "Namibia is the first country in the world where NPCI, National Payment Corporation of India, and the Namibian Central Bank have entered into an agreement, a licensing agreement to deployment of UPI in Namibia for real-time payments. And this is a significant development. We believe that this will open up new avenues for cooperation in the digital space between our two countries," said Secretary (East). There were several announcements today regarding the agreements. The Memoranda of Understanding relate to the establishment of the Entrepreneurship Centre in Namibia and cooperation in the health sector. There were three announcements made, one relating to the UPI, or Unified Payment Interface. The second one is Namibia joining the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and Namibia also joining the Global Biofuel Alliance. "These are the narratives of the Global South, and it's a very important cooperation that will emerge out of this. Particularly in the case of CDRI is countries affected by these natural disasters, either it is floods or drought or even pandemics, how we can, both countries can cooperate. I think in recent times India has been very active in reaching out to our partner countries in providing these relief materials," said Ravi. "In the same light, I see the Global Biofuel Alliance as well, because alternatives to the oil, gas has to be formed. And this is a very good initiative India has successfully introduced, which is able to also save your own hard currency that countries would need to import. But this technology India has now very well experimented and successfully using in our country and in the Global South, through this Biofuel Alliance, will be able to reach out to them and introduce this technology," he added. But that's a part we should be able to also look at early warning systems and how quickly both countries can respond to natural crises that may arise in this part of the world. Because you also know that climate change is affecting our nations very, very differently, and most countries in the Global South are vulnerable because of the climate change. So, we have to cooperate even stronger on it. "Capacity building is another ongoing area. ITEC scholarship has been extensively used by Namibian experts, both defense and civilian, and here again, we have both sides discussed to expand this possibility of enhancing the cooperation and capacity building," he added. Both sides also touched upon the multilateral issues. There was condemnation of terrorism in all its manifestations, including the Pahalgam terrorist attack, when Namibia expressed solidarity for India. There was also talk about reforming of the multilateral institutions, and there was a clear understanding by both the leaders that it's very important that multilateralism is strengthened for the South-South cooperation, and both sides to be able to find solutions for the challenges that the countries in the Global South are facing. PM Modi also received Namibia's highest civilian award- the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, during his visit to the country. This makes it the 27th award for PM Modi and the 4th award in this ongoing tour.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
Indian PM Modi conferred with Namibia's highest civilian award
Windhoek: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the highest civilian award of Namibia on Wednesday. President of Namibia, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, presented the award to him. The Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis is the highest civilian award of Namibia. The award was established in 1995, shortly after Namibia gained independence in 1990, to recognise distinguished service and leadership. Named after the Welwitschia Mirabilis, a unique and ancient desert plant endemic to Namibia, the order symbolises resilience, longevity and the enduring spirit of the Namibian people. This makes it the 27th award for PM Modi and the 4th award in this ongoing tour. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm ceremonial welcome in Namibia, the fifth country on his five-state visit. He received the ceremonial welcome at the State House in Namibia. The Indian national anthem was played during the event. Later, Prime Minister Modi laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, 'Heroes' Acre', which features a white obelisk rising against the Auas Mountains, with 174 burial plots for national heroes. PM Modi and the President of Namibia, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, also reviewed the full range of India-Namibia relations during the talks, which took place on Wednesday. Sharing the details in a post on X, PM Modi said that discussions between India and Namibia were held on cooperation in areas such as digital technology, defence, security, agriculture, healthcare, education and critical minerals. PM Modi underscored that discussions also saw how to boost linkages in trade, energy and petrochemicals. He expressed gratitude for the assistance from Namibia in Project Cheetah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was warmly received by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the State House in Windhoek, Namibia, where the two leaders shook hands. Earlier today, PM Modi arrived at the Hosea Kutako International Airport and was met with a warm reception, as he was greeted by the Namibian Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi. PM Modi also warmly greeted members of the diaspora, shaking hands, listening to their enthusiastic messages, and graciously accepting gifts and portraits presented by the community. In a post on X, the Prime Minister expressed his pride in the diaspora and how they have retained the connection with their culture and traditions. "The Indian community in Namibia is extremely optimistic about closer India-Namibia friendship, and this is reflected in the special welcome in Windhoek. I am extremely proud of our diaspora, particularly how they have retained a connection with their culture and traditions," PM Modi stated. India and Namibia share a historic relationship rooted in India's steadfast support for Namibia's struggle for independence. India was among the earliest advocates for Namibian freedom, raising the issue at the United Nations as early as 1946 and hosting the first overseas office of the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) in 1986. Namibia is gaining renewed international attention due to its abundant reserves of uranium, copper, cobalt, rare earth minerals, and recent oil discoveries. The country is a significant player in the global mining industry, ranking as the world's fourth-largest producer of uranium oxide and also producing high-quality diamonds and zinc. Bilateral trade between India and Namibia reached USD 814 million in 2023-24, with Indian exports accounting for more than half of this total. Indian investments in Namibia are estimated at nearly $800 million, primarily in the mining sector, including zinc and diamonds. A notable example of the trust between the two nations is the successful translocation of eight cheetahs from Namibia to India's Kuno National Park in 2022, marking the world's first intercontinental transfer of a major carnivore species. The countries are exploring opportunities to expand cooperation in mining, energy, health, agriculture and infrastructure. Negotiations for a Preferential Trade Arrangement between India and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), with Namibia as coordinator, are ongoing. PM Modi arrived in Namibia after concluding his two-day State visit to Brazil, where he attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro and held bilateral talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.
