Modi is arriving with a substantial delegation of Indian business people and captains of industry who will meet the South African business community. India can also draw solace from the fact that the aggressive Chinese push in African countries for the use of its natural resources – oil being just one of them – is perceived as being exploitative in nature by many.
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“India also provided consistent support to the liberation movement during South Africa’s struggle for democracy and was at the forefront within multilateral forums, such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, in promoting worldwide efforts towards South Africa’s liberation”, she added.
“This is evident in the Modi government’s recent concerted focus on the India-Africa relationship – high profile visits by top Indian leaders to African countries, a recasting of India’s development diplomacy and an attempt to match action to past promises”, he added.
This is the second major expansion since Modi swept to office in 2014 with the biggest electoral mandate in three decades.
“There will be extensive talks with President Dr. John Magufuli where we will chalk out the road ahead for bettering India-Tanzania relations in a wide range of areas”, he said.
In India, ministerial appointments are also an exercise in giving representation to different castes, religions and regions. Rajrishi Singhal, the Senior Geoeconomics Fellow at Mumbai-based think-tank Gateway House, has said that India considers Africa as a promising market for Indian goods, services and investments. He said the bilateral trade has continued to grow and there was a need to provide a “nurturing” environment. “Today, we agreed to put this cooperation on the fast track”.
He will be the 1st Indian Prime minister to visit Mozambique in 34 years. The Africa nation will produce Indian varieties of dals such as arhar and urad.
Imports from India fell from 1.84 billion U.S. dollars in 2014 to 1.45 billion United States dollars in 2015 due to a decline in imports of iron, plastic goods, chemical products, tobacco, corn and tea, he said in Parliament in May.
The Prime Minister is also expected to visit Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Durban during the visit.
“Our partnership is driven by convergence of capacities and interest.Mozambique’s strengths are India’s needs and what Mozambique needs is in India”.
New Delhi: Bringing in four ministers aged below 50, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to give more space to youth in his Council of Ministers even though he has relied more on experience in the current expansion, with ten new ministers above 60.
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Referring to the “gap” in the visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Mozambique, he said it “should never have been so long”.
