PM Modi Becomes 1st Indian PM To Visit Namibia, Concludes Five-Nation Africa-Latin America Tour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Windhoek, Namibia, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, marking his first official visit to the country. He arrived at the invitation of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, completing the final leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour.

Modi received a traditional welcome at the airport and participated in local customs, including playing Namibian drums. “Landed in Windhoek a short while ago. Namibia is a valued and trusted African partner with whom we seek to boost bilateral cooperation,” Modi posted on X. He is scheduled to meet President Nandi-Ndaitwah and address the Namibian Parliament during the visit.

India Explores Uranium and Critical Mineral Imports from Namibia

India’s High Commissioner to Namibia, Rahul Shrivastava, confirmed that India is exploring the possibility of importing uranium from Namibia. He emphasized Namibia’s recent oil and gas discoveries as strategically significant to India. Shrivastava also highlighted India’s interest in Namibia’s critical minerals sector and potential investments by Indian Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). He recalled India’s early support for Namibia’s independence and described the long-standing bilateral ties as “good.”

Shrivastava added that the two nations have consistently built on their relationship, evolving from political solidarity into strong economic and strategic cooperation.

High-Level Talks Aim to Strengthen Economic and Strategic Cooperation

High Commissioner Rahul Shrivastava stated that the Prime Minister’s visit marks the first high-level engagement with Namibia in 27 years. He confirmed that trade, investment, and strategic cooperation dominate the agenda. “We have a long range of things that we want to discuss, primarily about trade and investment.

We are interested in critical minerals in Namibia, and some of our PSUs would want to invest here,” he said. The visit is expected to lay the groundwork for future collaborations in mining, energy, and strategic commodities, enhancing India’s economic footprint in Africa.

Modi Concludes Five-Nation Tour Covering Ghana, Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa

PM Modi began his multi-nation diplomatic tour on July 2 in Ghana, followed by an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago from July 3 to 4 at the invitation of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. He continued his tour in Argentina from July 4 to 5, where he held bilateral discussions with President Javier Milei.

From July 5 to 8, he visited Brazil for the BRICS Summit and held meetings with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. His final stop in Namibia on July 9 concludes the extensive five-nation diplomatic outreach across Africa and Latin America.