India, Namibia defence ties strengthen with Line of Credit offer

During a special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Namibia, High Commissioner Rahul Shrivastava stated, "In defence, Namibia is interested in the procurement of equipment from India, and we offered them a line of credit, especially for the defence."

Namibia also assured its membership in the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an initiative launched by India to conserve big cats globally.

Shrivastava confirmed, "Namibia has assured that it will soon become a member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)."

The International Big Cat Alliance is a global initiative designed to strengthen cooperation and resource mobilisation for the conservation of big cats (including lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards, jaguars, pumas, and cheetahs).

This alliance, launched in April 2023, aims to foster collaboration among countries to protect these majestic creatures and their habitats. The IBCA's framework agreement has recently come into force, with Namibia among the countries officially ratifying it.

The idea was first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 and officially launched in April 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger.

A notable example of the trust between the two nations is the successful translocation of eight cheetahs from Namibia to India's Kuno National Park in 2022, marking the world's first intercontinental transfer of a major carnivore species.

Another significant area of collaboration is in healthcare, as Namibia had requested assistance from India to combat malaria. Shrivastava stated, "The situation of malaria was quite bad in Namibia, so they had requested help from us for malaria medicines, and we will soon be delivering malaria medicines and malaria diagnostic kits to Namibia."

Earlier, PM Modi received Namibia's highest civilian award, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, from Namibia's President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the honour to the people of Namibia and both nations' "unbreakable friendship."

"Our friendship was not born out of politics but out of struggle, cooperation, and mutual trust," PM Modi said after receiving the award.

"It is a witness to the everlasting friendship between India and Namibia, and I feel very proud to be associated with it today," PM Modi said. "I dedicate this honour to the people of Namibia and India, their continuous progress and development, and our unbreakable friendship."

Highlighting the strength of the India-Namibia relationship, PM Modi noted, "A true friend is recognised only in difficult times. India and Namibia have stood by each other since the time of their freedom struggle. Our friendship was not born out of politics but out of struggle, cooperation, and mutual trust. Democratic values and dreams of a bright future have nurtured it."

PM Modi also paid homage to the founding father and the first President of Namibia, Sam Nujoma, at the Heroes Acre memorial.

President Nandi-Ndaitwah formally received PM Modi at the State House in Windhoek, where the two leaders shook hands. Both leaders hold delegation-level talks in Windhoek, Namibia.

Upon his arrival, the Prime Minister was given a ceremonial and traditional welcome at the airport.

PM Modi arrived in Namibia after concluding his two-day State visit to Brazil, where he attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro and held bilateral talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.

Namibia is the final stop in the Prime Minister's five-nation tour, which also included visits to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, and Brazil. (ANI)