New Delhi, Mar 15: India has decided to offer Madagascar a USD 80 point 7 million LOC (Line of
Credit) for agriculture and mechanisation.
President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on a state visit to
Madagascar, extended the offer during delegation-level talks that with his
counterpart, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
Making the announcement during his interaction with members of the India-Madagascar Business Forum on Thursday, President Kovind urged them to further trade and business opportunities between the two countries.
Later addressing the students, faculty and academic community of the University of Antananarivo, Mr Kovind said the distance between Madagascar and India may seem wide, but in many senses the two countries, bound by the Indian Ocean, were neighbours. ``The hopes and opportunities, concerns and challenges of this mighty ocean make us obvious partners. As per the International Seabed Authority, the undersea exploration zones of our countries are closest to each other,” he said.
Urging Malagasy students to visit India and connect with the youth, he said, ``India is teeming with opportunities but those opportunities are not for us alone. We would want to make our friends in Madagascar a part of those opportunities.’’
The President said that Madagascar and India were both young countries, with a determination and drive to change their destiny. Young people in both countries see the same dreams and needed to work together to realise those dreams. It is fitting that at the base of the Madagascar-India relationship is education cooperation, he said.
India offers higher-education scholarships to Malagasy students under various heads – including the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme, the India Africa Forum Summit initiative, and the C.V. Raman Fellowship. So far 355 Malagasy boys and girls have availed these scholarships.
Mr Kovind said that the youth of Madagascar along with the youth of India will help build a better world for the 21st century.
``Our primary shared resource is of course, the ocean. We need to explore the sea and we need to help fishing communities in Madagascar. In parallel, we need to ensure maritime security and guard against environmental degradation. Above all, we need to be prepared for humanitarian disasters and the unpredictable moods of the ocean. Malagasy and Indian Navies are close partners and Indian ships have made several friendly visits to Madagascar,” he said.
``The common goal of a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable world had led to our countries supporting each other in bilateral and multilateral forums,’’ he said.
Madagascar was a participant at the first summit of the recent International Solar Alliance in New Delhi and the President observed that as an island nation, the country understands better than most the risks of climate change and the need to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable and particularly solar energy.
``As an ISA member state Madagascar will be accessing a solar grant pilot project to be commissioned by India’s National Institute of Solar Energy,’’ he said.
On Wednesday evening, Mr Kovind attended an Indian community reception in Antananarivo where he said that the community had an important role to play in enhancing ties with the Malagasy people. ``Both India and Madagascar have gone through similar political and socio-economic trajectories and we have much to share and learn from each other,’’ he added.
The President had reached Madagascar on Wednesday on the second leg of his two-nation state visit to Africa and the Indian Ocean Region. This was the first-ever visit by an Indian head of state or government to this country.
He was received at the Ivato International Airport, Antananarivo, by Prime Minister Olivier Solonandrasan and accorded a ceremonial welcome. UNI
Making the announcement during his interaction with members of the India-Madagascar Business Forum on Thursday, President Kovind urged them to further trade and business opportunities between the two countries.
Later addressing the students, faculty and academic community of the University of Antananarivo, Mr Kovind said the distance between Madagascar and India may seem wide, but in many senses the two countries, bound by the Indian Ocean, were neighbours. ``The hopes and opportunities, concerns and challenges of this mighty ocean make us obvious partners. As per the International Seabed Authority, the undersea exploration zones of our countries are closest to each other,” he said.
Urging Malagasy students to visit India and connect with the youth, he said, ``India is teeming with opportunities but those opportunities are not for us alone. We would want to make our friends in Madagascar a part of those opportunities.’’
The President said that Madagascar and India were both young countries, with a determination and drive to change their destiny. Young people in both countries see the same dreams and needed to work together to realise those dreams. It is fitting that at the base of the Madagascar-India relationship is education cooperation, he said.
India offers higher-education scholarships to Malagasy students under various heads – including the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme, the India Africa Forum Summit initiative, and the C.V. Raman Fellowship. So far 355 Malagasy boys and girls have availed these scholarships.
Mr Kovind said that the youth of Madagascar along with the youth of India will help build a better world for the 21st century.
``Our primary shared resource is of course, the ocean. We need to explore the sea and we need to help fishing communities in Madagascar. In parallel, we need to ensure maritime security and guard against environmental degradation. Above all, we need to be prepared for humanitarian disasters and the unpredictable moods of the ocean. Malagasy and Indian Navies are close partners and Indian ships have made several friendly visits to Madagascar,” he said.
``The common goal of a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable world had led to our countries supporting each other in bilateral and multilateral forums,’’ he said.
Madagascar was a participant at the first summit of the recent International Solar Alliance in New Delhi and the President observed that as an island nation, the country understands better than most the risks of climate change and the need to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable and particularly solar energy.
``As an ISA member state Madagascar will be accessing a solar grant pilot project to be commissioned by India’s National Institute of Solar Energy,’’ he said.
On Wednesday evening, Mr Kovind attended an Indian community reception in Antananarivo where he said that the community had an important role to play in enhancing ties with the Malagasy people. ``Both India and Madagascar have gone through similar political and socio-economic trajectories and we have much to share and learn from each other,’’ he added.
The President had reached Madagascar on Wednesday on the second leg of his two-nation state visit to Africa and the Indian Ocean Region. This was the first-ever visit by an Indian head of state or government to this country.
He was received at the Ivato International Airport, Antananarivo, by Prime Minister Olivier Solonandrasan and accorded a ceremonial welcome. UNI
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