Moçâmedes - The Indian ambassador to Angola, Vidhu Peethambaran Nair, expressed this Monday, in the province of Namibe, his country's interest in investing in the Angolan port sector and strengthening the partnership in railways.
Speaking to the press, at the end of the visit to the Port of Namibe and Moçâmedes railway facilities, the diplomat said that, in addition to oil, India intends to cooperate with Angola in other sectors, in order to boost the country's economy.
Thus, he said that his three-day visit to Namibe will serve to explore other partnerships for the region's development.
On the other hand, he stressed that his country has a robust pharmaceutical industry, having raised the possibility of increasing investment in the sector in Angola, if conditions are appropriate.
“Angola is a strong partner for India, it is the 2nd largest supplier of oil, and trade between the two countries is over US$4 million”, the ambassador highlighted.
In turn, the deputy governor of Namibe for the political, economic and social sector, Abel Kapitango, praised the visit of the Indian ambassador, taking into account the efforts of the provincial government to promote the economic potential of the region, in the scope of the attraction of internal and external investments.
He made it known that the Indian diplomat was informed about the ongoing actions to boost the region's economy, with emphasis on the works to expand the mineral port, the container terminal, among other investments.
The working day of the Indian delegation to Namibe includes, among other activities, visits to tourist sites and meetings with the business class.
India established diplomatic relations with Angola in 1985 and, since then, has maintained cooperation that is considered extremely cordial. It is Angola's 3rd largest trading partner, sharing around 10% of Angola's foreign trade, mainly due to the purchase of crude oil. Since 2021, bilateral trade has been growing, reaching a figure of US$3.2 billion, with an increase in Indian exports to Angola, valued at US$452 million.
The Indian community in Angola is estimated at 5000 people, who are essentially dedicated to commerce, health, agriculture and offshore, as well as a significant presence in the manufacturing industry that deals with plastics, metal, steel and clothing.
VR/MCN/CF/jmc
