India seeks critical minerals from Namibia
India is considering importing uranium and other critical minerals from Namibia, while pursuing a wider trade partnership with the African nation, New Delhi's envoy in Windhoek said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the news outlet ANI ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's one-day state visit to the country, top diplomat Rahul Shrivastava said the two nations enjoyed very good relations and that India was one of the first to support Namibian independence.
"We are interested in critical minerals in Namibia, and some of our PSUs (public sector undertakings) would want to invest here," Shrivastava told ANI. "We are looking at the export of uranium from Namibia to India."
New Delhi has been scouting for critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper from countries such as Zambia, Congo, and Australia. "Through our missions, we are working on trying to get critical mineral assets for exploration and mining," Indian Mines Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao said in February.
Modi, who arrived in Windhoek on Wednesday after attending the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, will discuss a variety of trade-related issues with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
In his interview with ANI, Shrivastava said that there had been recent oil and gas discoveries in Namibia and that this was an "area of interest" for India.
The African country has expressed an interest in buying Indian-manufactured weaponry. "We will be discussing defense cooperation because Namibia wants to procure defense items from India, and capacity building is one of the important pillars of India-Namibia relations that we will also enhance during the visit," Shrivastava added.
During his trip, Modi will pay homage to the founding father of Namibia, Dr Sam Nujoma, address the country's parliament, and interact with the Indian diaspora. He is the first Indian prime minister to visit the African nation in 27 years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
7 minutes ago
- NDTV
PM Modi To Address NDA Parliamentary Meeting Tomorrow
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the BJP-led NDA parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, a get-together of the ruling alliance's MPs which is being held after a considerable gap. The NDA meeting comes a couple of days before the filing of nomination for vice president's election begins from August 7. The NDA will have to announce its candidate, whose election will be a certainty due to the alliance's majority in the electoral college, by August 21, the last date of nomination-filing and the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The meeting comes in the middle of a session which has been all but a washout so far, except for a two-day discussion on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, due to a united Opposition's ceaseless protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar by the Election Commission. PM Modi is expected to speak on a host of current issues as the Opposition has been raising the heat over the poll body's alleged partisan conduct favouring the government, and the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The prime minister is also likely to be felicitated by the parliamentary party over his government's military response to the terror strike. The electoral college for the vice president poll includes MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and its current strength is 782. If the Opposition also names a candidate, a distinct possibility, then the poll is scheduled to be held on September 9. Since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the BJP lost its majority but comfortably crossed the halfway mark with allies, the sessional meeting of the party's MPs was expanded to include its allies. PM Modi had addressed the first such meeting on July 2. However, no meeting has been held in the last few sessions. Before the last national elections, he used to address the weekly meetings of BJP parliamentary party, now expanded to include party's allies such as the TDP, JD(U), and LJP (Ram Vilas). The meeting is attended by MPs of the ruling alliance, and PM Modi often covers a sweep of political and governance issues, and at times touches on the government's agenda in Parliament. He often offers to the MPs talking points to be raised in public, especially their constituencies.
Hindustan Times
7 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'Mercenaries' from China, Pakistan and Africa fighting for Russia, claims Zelensky
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said that the country's troops in northeastern Ukraine are fighting 'mercenaries' from several countries including China, Pakistan and African countries. The Ukrainian leader's claim comes amid the presence of North Korean troops at the frontlines. Zelensky also visited the frontline in the Kharkiv region.(AFP) 'We spoke with the commanders about the situation at the front line, the defense of Vovchansk, and the dynamics of the fighting,' Zelensky said, adding that the Ukraine government also addressed issues of drone supply and use, recruitment, and direct funding for brigades. 'The soldiers on this front have noted the participation of mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and African countries in the war. We will respond accordingly,' the Ukrainian president posted on X. Zelensky had, earlier this year, accused Russia of deploying more than 100 Chinese nationals on the battlefield against Ukraine. He alleged that more than 150 Chinese nationals had been identified near the frontlines and two of them had been captured in the Donetsk region. The Ukraine president also released a video which purportedly showed footage from interrogations of the two captured Chinese fighters. Zelensky also shared a video which included images of what appeared to be the passports of the Chinese nationals. Earlier today, Zelensky also visited the frontline in the Kharkiv region. 'I met with the warriors of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade named after Ivan Sirko. The fighters are holding a difficult section of the front – Lyptsi,' he said in a post on X. Zelensky, who spoke with the commanders on the front, said the key focus was the defense along their line of responsibility, the training of the warriors, their morale, and the provision of essential supplies to the units. 'We discussed positive feedback on the electronic system for tracking points awarded for the destruction of the occupiers and their equipment,' Zelensky posted, adding that all issues would be addressed and resolved.
Time of India
7 minutes ago
- Time of India
Donald Trump Threatens To 'Substantially Increase' Tariffs On India Over Russian Oil
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened steep tariffs on India, accusing it of profiting from the Ukraine war by buying and reselling Russian oil. A 25% tariff on Indian imports is set to take effect on August 7, with further penalties possible. Despite the warning, India remains firm on its energy strategy, citing market-based decisions. Russia now supplies nearly 40% of India's crude oil, up from just 2.5% before the war. The government says refiners will continue sourcing oil commercially, prioritizing energy security. The move places India in a diplomatic bind as it balances strategic autonomy with mounting U.S. pressure.#donaldtrump #indiatariffs #russianoil #trumpsocial #ukrainewar #crudeoil #energysecurity #geopolitics #tradepolicy #toi #toibharat Read More
