PM Narendra Modi today arrived in Mozambique to mark the first leg of his four-nation tour to Africa from July 7 to July 10.
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Notably, It is the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister in a decade.
Modi will also travel to Tanzania and Kenya.
The India-Kenya Business Forum meeting is also on his agenda.
“South Africa is seen as a representative of the continent”, said Chand.
A common theme has emerged in Modi’s strategy in Africa. Modi will spend two days in South Africa.
Both dignitaries noted that Mozambique and India share a common history of anti-colonial struggle, and have been successful in establishing democratic traditions in their respective societies after achieving independence.
Concerns about democracy and human rights are not even on the periphery of such trade deals.
India’s economic presence in Africa is dwarfed by that of China, whose trade with the continent topped $200 billion past year – more than the GDP of the 30 smallest African economies combined.
PM Modi has been in the news constantly since his tenure began and much of this attention has been due to his foreign visits, some of which have indeed been historic. About one fourth of all Indian investments in Africa are in Mozambique.
Worth of India’s present trade with Mozambique is about 2 billion dollars per year.
On July 10, he will be in Tanzania for a “brief but crucial visit” to give an impetus to ties with Tanzania, a valued friend in Africa, Modi said.
“In Mozambique’s march towards economic prosperity, India will walk every step of the way”.
The Indian economy is also expected to grow more robustly than the Chinese economy in the medium and long term. It remains to be seen whether South Africa would risk angering China – its strategic ally and largest trading partner in Asia – by agreeing to India’s request. Similar to Mauritius and the Seychelles, the four countries included in the 2016 tour are located within the Indian Ocean sphere of influence with significant Indian diasporic populations.
Modi said the relationship between the two countries is not new as thousands of Indian-origin people call Mozambique their home.
“From the reform of UN Security Council, to the adoption of June 21 as the International Day of Yoga”, he said.
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The reason why inclusion in the NSG is so important to India is that it makes access to nuclear technology and the purchase of nuclear material significantly easier and cheaper. The Tata group has been in Africa since 1977 and is now represented in 11 countries with its automobiles, hotels and telecommunications companies. South Africa has already expressed support for a revamp of the Security Council.
