PM Modi Addresses Namibian Parliament, Receives Highest Civilian Award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Parliament of Namibia, praising the African nation for electing its first woman president, a historic milestone reflecting the strength of democratic values. He drew a parallel to India’s own progress by referring to President Droupadi Murmu, the first tribal woman to hold the office in India, underscoring the power of constitutional democracy to empower marginalized communities. Modi emphasized the shared democratic ideals that form the foundation of India-Namibia relations and recalled the legacy of Dr. Sam Nujoma, the founding father of Namibia, whose contributions continue to inspire the partnership between the two countries.

Highlighting the people-to-people connection, Modi charted a future of close cooperation, pledging that India would walk hand in hand with Namibia in solidarity with the Global South—a term referring to developing nations primarily in the Southern Hemisphere that seek greater collaboration and representation on the global stage.

During his ongoing tour, Prime Minister Modi was honored with Namibia’s highest civilian award, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, marking the fourth such accolade on this trip and the 27th overall in his career. Modi expressed gratitude for the award, calling it a testament to the enduring friendship between India and Namibia, who have supported each other since their respective freedom struggles.

The two nations also signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering key sectors such as Health and Medicine, the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Center in Namibia, and broader cooperation initiatives.

Additionally, an announcement was made about launching a Digital Payments system in Namibia later this year, modeled on India’s widely successful Unified Payments Interface (UPI)—a real-time payment system that revolutionized digital transactions in India. Namibia is notably the first country globally where the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has signed a technology agreement with a central bank to implement this UPI-like system, underscoring the deepening financial cooperation between the two countries.

Read Also | Namibia Becomes First Country to Adopt UPI-Like System via NPCI Tech Deal

The discussions between Prime Minister Modi and Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the State House in Windhoek also addressed important multilateral issues, including the condemnation of terrorism and the reform of international institutions. As a mark of respect, Modi paid tribute to Sam Nujoma at the National Memorial Heroes’ Acre in Windhoek. On social media, Modi reflected on the comprehensive nature of India-Namibia relations, highlighting cooperation in diverse fields such as digital technology, defense, security, agriculture, healthcare, education, and critical minerals—showcasing the multidimensional partnership and mutual commitment to shared progress.

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