WINDHOEK: Utilizing cricketing analogy to underscore the huge potential for development in India-Namibia bilateral ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stated that each international locations are solely “warming up” and can “rating sooner, rating extra” within the years to return. Addressing the Joint Session of the Parliament of Namibia in Windhoek throughout his one-day State Go to to the African nation, PM Modi stated that each international locations are a part of the World South and have individuals sharing related hopes and goals.
“Our bilateral commerce has crossed $800 million, however like on the cricket area, we’re simply warming up! We are going to rating sooner and rating extra! We’re honoured to assist Namibia’s youth via the Entrepreneurship Growth Centre. Will probably be a spot the place enterprise goals can get mentorship, funding and buddies, too,” stated PM Modi.
PM Modi started his tackle by mentioning that he stands earlier than the Namibian lawmakers as “a consultant of the Mom of Democracy”, bringing with him the nice and cozy greetings from 1.4 billion individuals of India.
Highlighting that India and Namibia share robust democratic beliefs and values, he additionally recalled the legacy of Dr. Sam Nujoma, the founding father of Namibia, stating that on the coronary heart of this historic relationship are the individuals of the 2 international locations.
Charting the objective for way forward for the India-Namibia partnership, PM Modi emphasised that India will stroll hand-in-hand with Namibia and in solidarity with the World South. He said that India and Namibia have a lot in frequent with each international locations having fought colonial rule.
“We not solely worth our ties from the previous, however we’re additionally centered on realising the potential of our shared future. We see nice worth in working collectively on Namibia’s Imaginative and prescient 2030. And, on the coronary heart of our partnership are our individuals. Over 1700 Namibians have benefited from scholarship and capacity-building programmes in India,” he talked about.
Each international locations, he stated, worth dignity and freedom with the structure guiding them to uphold equality, liberty and justice.
“It is the ability of India’s Structure {that a} daughter from a poor tribal household is right this moment the President of India. It is this very Structure that gave somebody like me the possibility to turn out to be Prime Minister. Not as soon as, not twice, however 3 times. When you don’t have anything, the Structure offers you every part!” he stated.
India, stated PM Modi in his tackle, shouldn’t be solely progressing with its personal growth but additionally giving route to the goals of the world, with a particular emphasis on the World South.
“That is India’s message: that you could obtain success by following your personal path, together with your tradition and dignity intact,” said PM Modi.
He highlighted that Namibia is the primary nation to undertake India’s UPI and shortly, individuals of the African nation will be capable of ship cash sooner than one can say “Tangi unene”, or thanks very a lot.
“India is able to provide Namibia with a Bhabhatron radiotherapy machine for superior most cancers care. This machine, developed in India, has been deployed in 15 international locations and has helped half one million sufferers in numerous international locations with important most cancers care.
“Our growth partnership in Africa is price over $12 billion. However its actual worth is in shared development and shared function. We proceed to construct native abilities, create native jobs and assist native improvements. We additionally invite Namibia to affix the Jan Aushadhi programme for entry to reasonably priced and high quality medicines. Below this programme, the prices of medicines in India have been introduced down by 50-80 per cent. It is serving to multiple million Indians every day. To this point, it has helped sufferers save practically USD 4.5 billion in healthcare prices,” stated PM Modi.
As he started to handle the Parliament, PM Modi obtained a standing ovation from lawmakers and chants of ‘Modi, Modi’ additionally reverberated within the air.
This was PM Modi’s third tackle to a Parliament in per week.
On July 3, ?Prime Minister Modi addressed a particular session of the Parliament of Ghana, turning into the primary Indian Prime Minister to take action.
A day later, on July 4, PM Modi, on the invitation of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Home, addressed the Joint Meeting of the Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago (T&T). He was the primary Prime Minister from India to handle the T&T Parliament, and the event marked a milestone in India-Trinidad & Tobago bilateral relations.
Earlier, following their discussions on additional strengthening bilateral ties, Prime Minister Modi and Namibia President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah witnessed the trade of two Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) within the fields of well being and entrepreneurship, in Windhoek.
The MoU on establishing of an Entrepreneurship Growth Centre in Namibia and one other on Cooperation within the area of Well being and Medication got here on the event of PM Modi’s one-day State Go to to Namibia, the primary on the stage of Prime Minister after 27 years.
As well as, it was introduced that Namibia has joined the Coalition for Catastrophe Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and World Biofuels Alliance.
The African nation can be the primary nation to enter right into a licensing settlement to undertake UPI know-how with the announcement on launching of Digital Funds system in Namibia later this yr being an final result of the signing of the UPI know-how licensing settlement between NPCI and Financial institution of Namibia in April 2024.