Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Johannesburg for the Summit, received felicitations from the BRICS leaders for India’s achievement. This was also symbolic of Bharat’s scientific and economic progress. India has been the fastest-growing large economy for the last few years and is likely to become the third-largest economy by 2027 and a ‘developed’ economy – or Viksit Bharat – by 2047, in the 100th year of India’s independence.
India, as a country of the Global South, views its achievements and progress as that of all countries in the Global South and this solidarity was apparent in the joy with which this news of the moon landing was received by leaders of these countries. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to share India’s expertise in the area of space science, President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his interactions during the BRICS Summit, did not fail to mention this feat of India, which was also a reflection of deep friendship between the two countries.
South Africa and India enjoy ties that are both historical and modern. The peoples of India and South Africa were partners in their struggle against colonial regimes and apartheid, and they remain committed to each other on their paths of development.
Our post-apartheid relations are marked by great economic partnership, which is very well captured by this edition of Acumen. Nevertheless, there is scope for greater cooperation between the two countries in areas such as space, digital public infrastructure, energy, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and logistics and transportation, including railways, areas in which India has done well recently, while India can benefit from South African technologies in sectors such as mining and defence.
With a thriving population of Indian origin settled in South Africa, we have a base for greater people-to-people interaction, which could be further enhanced. South Africa’s biodiversity and wildlife is already a great attraction for Indian tourists.
And we combine our efforts in multilateral fora, supporting each other as partners from Global South, whether it be at the United Nations or at the World Trade Organisation. Again, at the G20, BRICS or the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), where we are both members, we play a very constructive role. In 2023, India held the presidency of the G20 when South Africa was chairing BRICS, and South Africa will be holding the presidency of the G20 in 2025. India assures its full support to South Africa during its presidency of the G20 and wishes it a great success while leading this important forum.
No discussion on India-South Africa relations can be complete without discussing cricket! Both India and South Africa have very competitive teams presently and it is always a pleasure to watch them playing. South African players perform superbly in the Indian Premier League and have a great following throughout India. Our cricketing relations, therefore, enjoy the same bonhomie as our relations in other spheres.
My very warm congratulations to Pretoria University’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) for bringing out this special edition on India-South Africa partnerships. This will allow people and businesses to gain greater understanding of India-South Africa relations and of the opportunities that are knocking at our doors, to take this bond of friendship between the two countries to a greater height.
Gallery
