Indian PM Narendra Modi Sets New Record of Strategic Bilateral Ties with Nigeria, Pledges to Strengthen Partnership in Core Areas
Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has set a new record of strategic bilateral ties with Nigeria with his recent visit to the populous African country, bridging a 17 years gap between the last visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Nigeria while pledging to strengthen partnership with Nigeria in core areas of common interests.
By:Olufemi Orunsola
Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has set a new record of bilateral relationship between India and Nigeria, as he recently made the first trip, by an Indian Prime Minister to the populous African country, after a time gap of 17 years, pledging India's commitment to strategic partnerships between the two countries.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that the Indian Prime Minister, who recently visited Nigeria, affirmed that
India accords high priority to its strategic partnership with Nigeria, and it will work towards boosting ties in core areas such as:defence, trade, and technology.
OTN News further reports that Modi made this known during his talks with Nigerian President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja.
Prior to the delegation-level talks, Modi and Tinubu held one-on-one meeting at the Presidential Villa.
While drawing lines of similarities between the two countries, the Indian Prime Minister identified terrorism, separatism, piracy, and drug trafficking as major challenges, noting that the two countries will continue to work together to deal with them.
"We give high priority to our strategic partnership with Nigeria," he said, adding that " I am confident that a new chapter in our ties will begin following our talks."
Modi, who was accorded a befitting welcome ceremony by President Tinubu further described the population of around 60,000-strong Indian expatriate community in Nigeria as a key pillar of India-Nigeria relations, thanking President Tinubu for ensuring their welfare over the years.
During his visit, Modi met with the 16-member executive committee of Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP) Nigeria, for an exclusive interaction to understand and gather feedback on the aspirations and concerns of the Indian diaspora in Nigeria, reflecting on the group's contributions in Nigeria, including organising charity drives, hosting cultural events, and building networks to strengthen India-Nigeria relations.
OFBJP is one of the largest Indian Diaspora organisations across the globe. OFBJP Netherlands was established in 2015 based on the philosophy of वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam), which means “the world is one family”.
Furthermore, the prime minister took advantage of the visit to announce that "India is sending 20 tonnes of relief supplies for Nigerian who were hit by last month's floods."
He noted that there are more than 200 Indian companies who have invested about USD 27 billion in virtually all important manufacturing sectors in Nigeria, and these companies are the second largest employers after the federal government, according to Indian officials.
OTN News also reports that both countries inked some agreements following the delegation-level talks.
OTN News recalls that the India-Nigeria ties were elevated to the status of a "strategic partnership" during the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who visited Nigeria in October 2007.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has been a close partner of India for more than six decades.
It is on records that New Delhi established its diplomatic House in Lagos in November 1958, two years before Nigeria became independent in 1960.
Over the years, India has emerged as a development partner of Nigeria on two major fronts namely: offering developmental assistance through concessional loans (USD 100 million) and by offering capacity-building training programmes.
OTN News further recalls that under the leadership of Narendra Modi, India, an equally heterogenous and densely populated country has experienced remarkable socio-economic transformation with the country moving away from previous rankings as the World Poverty capital via implementation of several welfare schemes that have made millions of Indians to get out of the poverty line.
The delivery of a dynamic foreign policy that prioritizes national security, adopting a zero tolerance against terrorism and left wing extremism under the 'Neighborhood First Policy" as well as economic growth and stability, making the country home to well over 100 unicorns are two other crucial indicators of the turn around of India's fortunes under the administration of Modi.
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