Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh is set for a four-day official visit to Zambia starting Monday, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
During the visit, the Minister will co-chair the 6th Session of the India-Zambia Joint Permanent Commission with Mulambo Haimbe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Zambia on November 6, to review all aspects of bilateral relations. The 5th Session of the Joint Permanent Commission was held in 2005 in New Delhi. The last visit by the Minister of State for External Affairs to Zambia was in October 2019 to inaugurate the CII Exim Bank Southern Africa Regional Conclave in Lusaka. During the visit, the Minister will also hold discussions with senior leadership of the government of Zambia. He will also participate in an India-Zambia Business Round Table Conference to promote trade and investment between the two countries. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at USD 448.39 million in 2023-24. India is one of the leading investors in Zambia with a pledged investment of over USD 5 billion. The Minsiter will also interact with the Indian community in Lusaka. Zambia has a large and vibrant Indian community which numbers around 30,000. India and Zambia are commemorating 60 years of establishment of diplomatic relations. The visit of Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh would pave the way for further enhancing India-Zambia bilateral relations. (ANI)
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