The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies
Minister of Commerce and Industry of India, Mr Anand Sharma
High Commissioner of India in South Africa, Mr Virendra Gupta
President of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr Hari Bharatiya
Ladies and gentlemen
It is an honor for me to address this annual gathering of the Indian Expo Exhibition, given the relations we have built with India over many years.
Our relationship with the world’s largest democracy will surely bear fruit economically, socially and politically for the two countries.
Let me again thank the Indian government for the invitation to undertake a State visit, which contributed a great deal towards taking relations between the two countries to higher levels.
Ladies and gentlemen,
On 15 August, India marked the 63rd anniversary of her independence. As the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh indicated on this important day, the Indian economy has withstood the global economic downturn better than most, and remains one of the world’s fastest growing economies.
During my state visit to India this year, I was fortunate to witness the resilience of the Indian economy firsthand.
During this time I had productive talks with Prime Minister Singh which focused on deepening strategic partnership between the two countries.
We agreed to focus on the expansion of economic, trade and investment relationship between the two countries and further broaden cooperation.
An agreement was also reached to deepen relations on amongst other issues, the acceleration of partnerships in the areas of science and technology, agriculture, human resource development and security for both countries.
Programme director,
Three Memorandums of Understandings were signed between these two governments, in the fields of agriculture and allied sectors.
Others included a cooperation agreement between the Indian Foreign Service Institute and Diplomatic Academy of South Africa.
As part of building bi-lateral relations, our determination to finalise a preferential trade agreement between India and Southern African Customs Union was also reached.
I am proud to say that we also share a common vision of an equitable, just, peaceful and prosperous world order envisaged at bringing an end to centuries of poverty and marginalisation.
As we mark Women’s Month, I am glad to note that India leads the way in the empowerment of women, with 50 percent of seats reserved for women in local bodies. We congratulate India on this achievement.
Honorable ministers and distinguished guests,
Since we all know that this year, 2010 marks the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in South Africa, we are looking forward to a more rewarding and prosperous relationship between the two countries.
The Indian community has contributed a great deal to our country, politically, socially and economically. Many have made their marks in commerce, legal field, media and a host of others.
Honoured guests,
We are happy with the agreement to intensify South African and Indian coordination in several multi-lateral forums such as the United Nations, the Non Aligned Movement, World Trade Organisation, G-20, Commonwealth, IBSA and the Brazil-South Africa-India-China (BASIC) groupings.
We also have a common approach on a number of global issues including reform of the United Nations, the future of multilateralism, climate change, South-South Cooperation and multilateral trade negotiations.
This has led to fruitful cooperation in the Commonwealth, International Atomic Energy Agency and the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP).
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is important to add that relations between our two countries date back so many decades ago. Ours is not a brand new relationship.
Mahatma Gandhi’ stay in South Africa will remain one of the most remarkable historical moments in the lives of both the populations of India and South Africa.
Gandhi started his Satyagraha movement in South Africa over a century ago. Gandhi’s experience in South Africa was a precursor to the strengthening of historical, political and economic relations between our two countries.
Most importantly, India was at the forefront of the international community in supporting the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.
As the first country to cut trade ties with the apartheid government in 1946, India worked consistently to put the issue of apartheid on the United Nations agenda for the imposition of comprehensive international sanctions against South Africa.
Given the background of India’s support to the anti-apartheid struggle, it is only natural that we should work so closely together to consolidate our relations as the two governments.
The agreements I spoke about earlier are building on other instruments signed early on in our post-apartheid relationship.
A number of bilateral agreements have been concluded between the two countries since 1993. These include the areas of economic and commercial cooperation, defence, culture, health, human settlements, public administration, science and technology as well as education.
India’s support of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) objectives will not go unnoticed. As a result of this commitment, some major projects in Angola, Senegal and Mali have already been undertaken.
We are happy with our cooperation on taking forward our number one priority, education.
A number of South African universities are establishing links with counterpart institutions in India, through the hosting of Vice Chancellors of several South African universities.
In 2008, the first 'India focus' centre in Africa known as Centre of Indian Studies in Africa (CISA) was launched.
During the same year in September, the Gandhi-Luthuli Chair of Peace Studies was also launched at the KwaZulu-Natal University while universities such as UNISA, University of Pretoria, UCT, Western Cape and Rhodes have plans to intensify similar academic links with India.
This is what informs the current existing socio-cultural connections between India and most African countries in the African continent.
Honourable guests,
Commerce and industry remain critical in building and nourishing relations for the modern economic needs of the twenty first century.
I am delighted to see our partnerships with India giving rise to stronger ties between our two countries.
By working together we can foster mutually beneficial relationships that will ensure that our people’s prosperity increases during the twenty first century.
Having hosted a successful FIFA Football World Cup we look forward to India’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in October.
We are assured that it will be a success and are busy finalising a strong South African team.
We wish the exhibitors who have taken time to come here all the best for the expo. May your stay in South Africa be rewarding.
I thank you.
