India, Mozambique to boost security cooperation Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI. — India and Mozambique on Wednesday discussed ways to intensify cooperation in maritime security, ocean economy and defence as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Mozambique President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi.

The two sides inked an MoU on cooperation in the field of new and renewable energy.

Modi, in his media statement after a delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House, said President Nyusi’s visit was special because this is the 40th anniversary of both country’s independence and the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

“Africa and the Indian Ocean are among the highest priorities for our foreign policy. Mozambique is crucial for both,” he said.

Modi said that 20,000 people of Indian origin in Mozambique are an important link between the two nations. He said that the southeast African nation, bordering the Indian Ocean, “can be a large and a proximate source of natural gas, coal and other minerals” for India and it also offers huge opportunities in agriculture sector.

The prime minister noted that Indian investments in oil and natural gas sectors have grown significantly and that Mozambique hosts nearly 25 percent of Indian investments in Africa.

“Our trade has multiplied five times in the last five years,” he said.

Modi said India is happy to be a development partner for Mozambique in the areas of agriculture, health care, energy, infrastructure and human resource development.

“So, as we seek to deepen our relations with Mozambique and enhance our engagement in the Indian Ocean Region and Africa, we are pleased that President Nyusi is visiting us now,” Modi said.

He expressed hope that Mozambique would continue to provide an encouraging environment for investments from India, including in the areas of hydrocarbons, minerals and infrastructure.

The prime minister said both sides agreed to explore ways to speed up the implementation of a power supply project in Maputo, being funded by Indian line of credit.

In February 2013, India released $250 million to finance a power project in the Maputo region in southern Mozambique. The project was scheduled to be completed by 2016. — deccanherald.com.

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