New Delhi, June 2: President Droupadi Murmu met with South African Vice President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. During the meeting, President Murmu emphasized the importance of increasing bilateral trade between India and South Africa.
Both leaders called for enhanced collaboration in sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals, energy, skilling, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The President’s secretariat shared on the social media platform X, stating, “South African Vice President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile met with President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President mentioned that India and South Africa share a special friendship that is both historical and contemporary, and both countries are leading voices of the Global South. She highlighted the continuous growth in bilateral trade and urged both sides to foster mutually beneficial engagements in technology, pharmaceuticals, energy, MSMEs, and skilling.”
Earlier, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar also met with Vice President Mashatile, who is on a six-day visit to India, to discuss strengthening cooperation in various sectors.
Both parties agreed to enhance coordination on international platforms, based on their shared history, membership in BRICS, and their roles as influential voices of the Global South. Vice President Mashatile arrived in New Delhi on May 29 for his six-day visit, which will conclude on June 3.
Following the meeting, Minister Jaishankar expressed his pleasure on social media, stating, “I was pleased to meet South African Vice President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile and his delegation in New Delhi. I appreciate their commitment to deepening long-term partnership relations. We discussed opportunities in trade, investment, MSMEs, digital, and infrastructure sectors. We agreed to work together on international platforms.”
Mashatile also took to social media, stating, “We agreed with India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar that South Africa and India should expand their relations into other areas, especially economic ties.”
In another post, he affirmed their commitment to fulfilling the objectives of their strategic partnership, emphasizing that their relationship is key to addressing challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality while achieving mutual prosperity.