President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday landed in Luanda, the capital of Angola, marking the first ever state visit by an Indian head of state to the southern African country.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the President’s arrival in a post on X (formerly Twitter) as the two nations celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.
“President Droupadi Murmu lands in Luanda, the capital of Angola. India and Angola are celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations this year. This visit will further strengthen India-Angola bilateral cooperation,” the post said.
The Indian President is in Angola as part of the first leg of her binational tour from November 8 to 11 at the invitation of her Angolan counterpart, João Lourenco. The visit underscores India’s commitment to strengthening ties with Africa and the Global South.
Key area of focus
The historic visit follows recent high-level meetings, including Angolan President Lourenço’s visit to New Delhi in May. The discussions are expected to advance a program discussed earlier this year when India approved a $200 million credit line to help Angola modernize its defense forces.
The two countries are now in talks to finalize this deal, which could also make it easier for Angola to source defense equipment from India, Newsonair said.
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President Murmu’s tour reflects the growing focus on strengthening the partnership across the political, economic, development and cultural dimensions of the two nations, MEA Economic Relations Minister Sudhakar Dalela said during a special press conference. He further noted that the visit also includes discussions on the relocation of cheetahs from Botswana under the Cheetah Project in India, ANI reported.
Program of the visit of President Murmu
Here is what is planned for President Droupadi Murma’s visit to Angola:
— Bilateral negotiations: President Murmu will hold comprehensive bilateral negotiations with her Angolan counterpart at the presidential palace in Luanda.
— Anniversary celebrations: On Tuesday, November 11, he will attend the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence.
— Public interaction: The Indian President will address the Angolan Parliament and interact with members of the Indian community.
— Strengthening cooperation: During the ongoing visit, the two sides are expected to discuss cooperation in healthcare, space technology and digital public infrastructure.
— Global initiatives: Nations can also further strengthen partnerships within global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Global Biofuel Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance.
What is the president’s next destination?
After her engagement in Angola, President Murmu will travel to Botswana from November 11 to 13 at the invitation of Duma President Gideon Boko.
It is also the first ever state visit by an Indian Head of State to Botswana. The second leg of the African tour will focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, technology, energy, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, defense and people-to-people exchanges.
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President Murmu will hold bilateral discussions, address the National Assembly of Botswana and visit cultural and historical sites. Botswana has also indicated its readiness to work with India on the Cheetah project and the possible relocation of cheetahs from Botswana to India, Newsonair said.
(Tagtransslate)Angola
