Antananarivo: India’s Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar met 10 young diplomats from Madagascar who returned from the 1st Special course for diplomats in the Indian Ocean Region at the Sushma Swaraj Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi.
It is for the first time that a special course for the diplomats of the Indian Ocean Region countries viz. Srilanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros was organised at the Sushma Swaraj Foreign Service Institute. The course lasted two weeks and helped in diplomatic capacity building of the Indian Ocean Region countries under the collaborative vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
Last month on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day Celebrations of India, President Andry Rajoelina had sent his greetings to PM Modi and the people of India. PM Modi had responded by tweeting - “India sees Madagascar not only as an important bilateral partner, but also a vital pole in its collaborative maritime vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).”
About 17,500 people of Indian origin, mostly from Gujarat, live in Madagascar and play an active role in the economy of Madagascar.
India and Madagascar relations have undergone a sea change in the past three years since the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Madagacar in March 2018. During the visit India and Madagascar signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement. Since then Madagascar’s Defense Minister has visited India twice in 2020 and in 2021. Indian Naval Ships have been providing humanitarian aid to Madagascar regularly. Indian and Malagasy Naval ships conducted first ever joint patrolling in Madagascar’s EEZ in March 2021.
India- Madagascar trade is about 400 million USD and is likely to grow to a billion USD in the next few years.
India has also provided humanitarian aid for the draught affected South of Madagascar by sending a 1000 tonnes of rice after a telephonic conversation between the External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and his Malagasy counterpart in March 2021.
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