Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Namibia on Tuesday (local time), concluding his two-day visit to Brazil, where he attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro and held significant bilateral talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.
PM Modi’s next stop is Namibia, where he will undertake a State Visit at the invitation of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. This marks his first visit to Namibia and only the third ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to the Southern African nation.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit aims to deepen India’s historical and multifaceted ties with Namibia. “Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with President Nandi-Ndaitwah, pay homage to Namibia’s founding father, Dr. Sam Nujoma, and is expected to address the Namibian Parliament,” the MEA stated.
During his Brazil visit, PM Modi:
- Participated in the BRICS Summit, where he emphasized the role of the Global South, climate change, health, and technology.
- Held a bilateral meeting with President Lula at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia.
- Announced an ambitious USD 20 billion trade target between India and Brazil over the next five years.
- Discussed expansion of bilateral cooperation in trade, sports, tourism, energy, and digital infrastructure.
- Was conferred Brazil’s highest civilian honour, the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, by President Lula.
In a post on X, PM Modi expressed gratitude to the Brazilian people, saying, “I thank my good friend, President Lula, the Government and wonderful people of Brazil for their kindness through this visit.” He described the BRICS Summit as a “splendid opportunity to elaborate on issues impacting the planet and the importance of the Global South.”
Modi added that his meeting with President Lula will further invigorate India-Brazil ties. “We’ve set an ambitious trade target of USD 20 billion over the coming five years. Equally important were discussions on strengthening people-to-people ties, especially through sports and tourism,” he noted.
On receiving Brazil’s highest civilian honour, he said, “This illustrates the strong affection the people of Brazil have for the people of India. May our friendship scale even newer heights.”
Following the Brazil leg, PM Modi will now begin engagements in Namibia, where his visit is expected to further elevate India’s presence and partnerships across the African continent.