During her official visit to Botswana, President Droupadi Murmu addressed Parliament in Gaborone, calling Africa “the continent of the future” and applauding Botswana as a beacon of democracy, good governance, and farsighted leadership. She told legislators that Botswana represented what was achievable when democratic institutions worked robustly for public welfare and when national resources were responsibly directed toward inclusive development and upliftment of the disadvantaged.

She added that India and Botswana shared a natural and time-tested friendship anchored in mutual trust, respect, shared values, and a fundamental belief in democracy and human dignity. Over decades, the partnership had strengthened not just through historical goodwill but also through the promise of deeper future engagement.

Expanding Sectors of Cooperation

President Murmu highlighted that India-Botswana cooperation had broadened across education, health, technology, agriculture, defence, and investments. She noted that over the past decade, more than a thousand young Botswana citizens had travelled to India for study and training, returning with enhanced skills, wider knowledge, and enduring friendships.

There were emerging opportunities that both nations needed to harness, she said. Indian companies were active in Botswana’s diamond industry, energy sector, and infrastructure landscape. In addition, she identified significant potential for renewed collaboration in renewable energy, digital innovation, pharmaceuticals, and mining.

A Shared Future Outlook

The President urged business communities in both countries to intensify joint ventures and explore new avenues for economic partnership. Africa’s demographic strength and natural resources positioned it as a powerhouse of the future, she observed, stressing that India-Africa collaboration could help unlock the collective energy of 2.8 billion people—nearly forty per cent of the world’s population.

She emphasised that India’s vision of a developed nation by 2047 and Africa’s Agenda 2063 created complementary pathways for dynamic cooperation.