Deputy President Paul Mashatile: Conclusion of first leg of Working Visit to India

Members of the media,

Today marks the fourth day of our visit to India.

We had a highly productive first leg of our Working Visit to the Republic of India here in New Delhi, together with the delegation of Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

We have come to the capital of India to build on the long-standing friendship and partnership between our two countries. Currently, India ranks among the top 10 investing countries in South Africa.

The purpose of this visit has been to strengthen our trade and investment relations. As such, we engaged business associates, current investors in South Africa and India, and those who want to invest in our country.

During the first leg of our Working Visit, we had high-level bilateral meetings with His Excellency Vice President Chandrapuram PonnusamiRadhakrishnan and a courtesy call on Her Excellency Mrs. Droupadi Murmu, which reinforced the strategic partnership between South Africa and India and its shared democratic values. We also discussed trade, investment, skills development, and infrastructure.

Our meetings reaffirmed our historic common bond of cooperation and friendship between South Africa and India and the deep cooperation in the areas of trade diversification, investment promotion, skills development, and multilateral cooperation in such areas as BRICS, IBSA, the G20, and the United Nations.

Our engagements have also sought to align our cooperation with Africa's Agenda 2063 and India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, ensuring that our partnership contributes to inclusive growth and renewal within the context of global South cooperation.

I engaged with leading Indian corporations and business associations. This included delivering a keynote at the Global Trade and Technology Council of India (GTTCI) Business Round Table. We understand that GTTCI is an apex business chamber and trade organisation founded in 2021 to promote bilateral trade, technology exchange, and global investment between India and the rest of the world.

I also met with the National Association of Software Services Companies (NASSCOM), which operates as a nonprofit organisation and serves as a key entity within the Indian technology sector.

There was consensus on South Africa and India transitioning from dialogue to action, aiming to transform historic solidarity into a future-oriented partnership centered on innovation, industrialisation, and shared prosperity.

Further engagement includes meeting with companies investing in the following sectors: energy, water, infrastructure, and agriculture as well as ICT.

Specifically, we engaged with companies such as Mahindra Group, Jindal Power, IGT Solution, SBU Head Thermax, UFlex, and others.

Our discussions focused on expanding investment footprints in South Africa in sectors such as renewable energy, automotive manufacturing, mining, and infrastructure.

We also discussed the possibilities for collaboration in the increase and diversification of exporting agricultural products and agro-processing, beneficiation of key minerals, and vaccine manufacturing.

Key outcomes of the visit include:

- Reaffirmation and resetting of the Strategic Partnership between South Africa and India, anchored in shared prosperity and innovation.

- Commitments by Indian industry leaders to expand investments in South Africa, particularly in clean energy, pharmaceuticals, ICT, and automotive components.

- Progress on trade facilitation, including India's notification of in-transit cold treatment for South African citrus exports, a milestone for our agricultural producers.

- Strengthened cooperation in multilateral forums, with alignment on reforming global institutions and advancing Africa's Agenda 2063 alongside India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

- Enhanced people-to-people ties, recognising the deep cultural and historical bonds between our nations.

This visit has laid a solid basis for greater cooperation and development of a better future for all. It has positioned South Africa as India's gateway into Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area, while reinforcing our role as a reliable partner in advancing the development agenda of the Global South.

As part of the second leg of this visit, tomorrow we will be at Hyderabad, where we will engage further with leaders in the pharmaceuticals and information technology industries.

Our discussion will seek to reinforce South Africa's vision of inclusive growth and shared prosperity, underscoring the country's readiness to deepen partnerships that advance innovation, expand opportunities for youth, and strengthen the bonds of solidarity between South Africa and India.

I committed myself to growing investment in South Africa and to building mutually beneficial relationships with India, rooted in shared prosperity. Our business in South Africa and India will be facilitated.

As the second Deputy President of South Africa to visit India, I want to affirm that though this trip is my first visit, it is the beginning of many to come.

I look forward to returning to India in the near future to further strengthen our relations, deepen our economic partnership, and advance sustainable development. We will endeavour to facilitate a trade and investment interface between South African and Indian people.

I wish to express my gratitude to the Government and people of India for their warm hospitality.

I thank you.