India–Namibia Foreign Office Consultations Strengthen Bilateral Ties

India and Namibia held the 5th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), reaffirming their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors under the framework of South–South partnership. The consultations provided an opportunity to review existing engagements and identify new areas of collaboration reflecting shared development priorities and strategic interests.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in defence and security, including capacity-building, training and exchange of expertise. India reiterated its support for strengthening Namibia’s defence capabilities through training programmes and technical assistance, building on long-standing defence ties between the two countries.

A key focus of the discussions was cooperation in critical minerals, an area of growing strategic importance given the global transition towards clean energy and advanced technologies. Namibia’s rich mineral resources, including uranium and rare earth elements, were discussed as potential areas for mutually beneficial collaboration, with an emphasis on responsible mining, value addition and sustainable supply chains.

The consultations also highlighted expanding cooperation in health and agriculture. India expressed its readiness to support Namibia in areas such as affordable healthcare, pharmaceuticals, telemedicine and health infrastructure. In agriculture, the two sides explored collaboration in food security, irrigation, agri-research and capacity-building to enhance productivity and resilience.

Another significant area of engagement was Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). India shared its experience with platforms such as Aadhaar, UPI and DigiLocker, underscoring their role in inclusive governance and service delivery. Both countries agreed to explore cooperation in digital governance, e-services and digital capacity-building.

The FOC also included exchanges on regional and global issues, with both sides reiterating support for multilateralism and reform of international institutions. The consultations underscored the growing depth of India–Namibia relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening South–South cooperation for sustainable and inclusive development.