Windhoek, Namibia: In a significant moment for India-Namibia relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the State House in Windhoek during his State Visit to Namibia. This marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the southern African nation in 27 years. It is also the first bilateral State Visit hosted by President Nandi-Ndaitwah since she took office in March.
Prime Minister Modi received a warm welcome upon his arrival at the State House. During their meeting, he congratulated President Nandi-Ndaitwah on her election as Head of State and expressed condolences on the passing of Namibia’s Founding Father, Dr. Sam Nujoma, earlier this year.
Also, in a historic moment marking the deepening of India-Namibia relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, the highest civilian honour of Namibia. President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah presented the award at the State House in Windhoek during Prime Minister Modi’s State Visit, making him the first Indian leader to receive this prestigious accolade.
Accepting the honour with humility, Prime Minister Modi dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and to the strong, enduring bond between the two nations. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Nandi-Ndaitwah and the people of Namibia for the recognition, calling it a symbol of shared values and mutual respect.
The conferment of the award is seen as a milestone in India-Namibia bilateral relations and serves as an inspiration for younger generations in both countries to carry forward this unique and growing partnership.
The two leaders discussed cooperation in important areas such as defence, maritime security, agriculture, health, digital technology, including UPI integration, energy, and critical minerals. Prime Minister Modi was pleased with the growing trade ties between the two countries, but he pointed out the untapped potential in bilateral commerce.
Both sides called for speeding up talks on the India-Southern African Customs Union Preferential Trade Agreement (India-SACU PTA). India announced plans to enhance development cooperation with Namibia through capacity-building programs and support for Quick Impact Projects. These projects will focus on agriculture, information technology, cybersecurity, education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, and child welfare.
Prime Minister Modi also suggested Indian partnership in establishing manufacturing units in Namibia and shared India's experience with using drones in agriculture, which could benefit Namibian farmers.
Prime Minister Modi thanked Namibia for its crucial role in relocating cheetahs to India and invited the country to join the International Big Cat Alliance. On the global stage, both leaders committed to strengthening their fight against terrorism and pledged to support the interests of the Global South. Prime Minister Modi expressed appreciation for Namibia’s support after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
The visit included the signing of two important Memorandums of Understanding in the areas of health and entrepreneurship. Namibia also officially joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
In a significant advance for digital cooperation, Namibia became the first country to enter a licensing agreement to adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology. President Nandi-Ndaitwah hosted a banquet in honour of Prime Minister Modi, who invited her to visit India at a mutually convenient time.
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