India, Africa must work side by side, says PM in Namibia, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• PM Modi addressed the Namibian Parliament, reaffirming India’s historic support for Namibia’s decolonisation since 1946.
• India emphasised cooperation over competition in Africa, advocating joint growth and sustainable development.
• Modi congratulated Namibia for adopting India’s UPI digital payment system, expected to launch later in 2025.
• India and Namibia signed MoUs in health, entrepreneurship development, and infrastructure resilience.
• Namibia joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Global Biofuel Alliance.
• PM Modi was awarded Namibia’s highest civilian honour, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis.
• Modi paid tribute to Sam Nujoma, Namibia’s founding leader and a historic friend of India.

Detailed Insights:

• India’s advocacy for Namibia’s independence dates back to 1946 at the UN, showcasing India’s consistent anti-colonial foreign policy.
• The Prime Minister's statements reinforce India’s Global South diplomacy, where partnerships are based on mutual respect, shared history, and capacity building.
• The UPI integration highlights India’s emerging role in digital public infrastructure exports, enhancing bilateral fintech cooperation.
• Establishing an Entrepreneurship Development Centre aligns with India’s development-centric diplomacy focused on skill-building and capacity creation.
• Namibia’s accession to Indian-led global platforms shows a growing strategic alignment and increasing soft power projection by India in Africa.

Key Concepts Involved:

• UPI (Unified Payments Interface): India’s real-time digital payment system facilitating instant peer-to-peer and merchant transactions.
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): An Indian initiative to promote resilient infrastructure globally.
• Global Biofuel Alliance: A multilateral platform to promote biofuels as sustainable energy sources.