NEW DELHI: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will lead a high-level delegation from India on a three-nation eight-day state visit to Gabon, Senegal and Qatar from Monday, May 30.
A slew of bilateral issues will be discussed during the three-nation tour of the Indian delegation, officials from the Ministry of External Affairs stated.
“This will be the first visit from India at the level of Vice President to all three countries. This will also be the first-ever high-level visit from India to Gabon and Senegal,” MEA said in a statement.
The high-level delegation will also include Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Members of Rajya Sabha, Sushil Kumar Modi and Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and Lok Sabha member P Raveendranath.
Vice President Naidu will visit Gabon in the first leg of his state visit from Monday to Tuesday. During his stay, Naidu will call on Prime Minister Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda. He will also meet President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
Besides holding delegation-level talks with PM Raponda, Naidu is slated to interact with the business community in Gabon and address the Indian community there. The two nations have counted bilateral trade of about USD 1.12 billion in 2021-22.
Gabon, the fifth-largest oil producer in Africa, is located on the west coast of Central Africa. India has been supporting Gabonese citizens through scholarships by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Gabonese students also attend training programmes offered by the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation.
“The visits to Gabon and Senegal will add momentum to India’s engagement with Africa and emphasize India’s commitment to the African continent,” MEA stated.
From Gabon, the high-level delegation will head to Senegal for a three-day visit from Wednesday. The visit will coincide with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Vice President Naidu and Senegal’s President Macky Sall will be engaged in delegation-level talks. Naidu will also meet the president of the National Assembly Moustapha Niasse.
The bilateral trade between India and Senegal crossed USD1.65 billion in 2021-22. During his state visit to the West African nation, Vice President Naidu will hold a business roundtable and address the Indian community in Senegal.
Senegal is the current Chair of the African Union. India has offered a total of 16 Lines of Credit amounting to USD 350 million and Buyer’s Credit of about USD 305 million in various sectors.
India is also conducting several capacity building training programs under ITEC in Senegal. India has mostly invested in Senegal in the domains of construction, tourism, retail, trading, phosphates, pharmaceuticals etc. Several Indian enterprises ranging from Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Kirloskar Bros, Ajanta Pharma, Sun Pharma and Shapoorji Pallonji have their interests in the country.
In his final leg, Vice President Naidu will reach Qatar on Saturday to mark the 50th year of diplomatic ties between India and Qatar.
The Indian delegation will be there from June 4 to 7. During the visit, Naidu will hold delegation-level talks with Qatar’s Deputy Amir, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Thani, and review bilateral cooperation. He will also address a business roundtable in Qatar.
A community reception will be held on the occasion of the Vice President’s arrival in Qatar, where about 7,50,000 Indians live. The ties between India and Qatar are not just restricted in the sphere of culture and economy but also in the arena of energy, investment and defence.
Qatar, which has committed USD 2 billion investment in various sectors in India, has crossed the USD15 billion mark in bilateral trade with India in the financial year 2021-22.