Niël Terblanché
India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar arrived in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, on an official three-day visit on Sunday
This is the first-ever visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Namibia.
Jenelly Matundu, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, met the Indian External Affairs Minister upon his arrival in Windhoek.
Jaishankar thanked Matundu for the warm reception and said that he looks forward to having a productive visit that will take the time-tested ties between the two countries even further forward.
During the visit, Jaishankar will call on Namibia’s President and is also scheduled to meet with other government ministers. He will also interact with the Indian diaspora in Namibia.
Jaishankar will also co-chair the inaugural session of the joint commission meeting with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Namibian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.
Jaishankar’s delegation consists of Mandarapu Subbarayudu, the High Commissioner Of India to Namibia, Puneet Roy Kundal, the Joint Secretary (E&SA), Srikar Reddy, the Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Amit Mallick, the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
India was among the first nations to raise the question of Namibia’s independence in the United Nations in 1946.
The first SWAPO Embassy abroad was established in New Delhi in 1986. During the time of Namibia’s struggle for freedom, full diplomatic status and support were accorded to the mission and was also accompanied by material assistance and military training.
Lieutenant General Dewan Prem Chand of the Indian Army headed UNTAG, the UN peacekeeping force deployed in Namibia in 1989 to monitor the peace process and elections.
After Namibian independence, the Indian Observer Mission was upgraded to a full-fledged High Commission on 21 March 1990.
Namibia opened a full-fledged resident Mission in New Delhi in March 1994.
India partnered with Namibia in the battle against Covid19 by providing 30 000 doses of Covishield that were produced by the Serum Institute of India.
India donated 1 000 tons of rice for drought relief.
An India-Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology has been established in Namibia.
