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The Prime Minister of India to receive Nigeria's second-highest national honour the "Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger" (GCON). Queen Elizabeth was the only foreign dignitary to be awarded the GCON in 1969.

Details

The Indian Prime Minister and Nigerian President repeated their commitment to fighting terrorism, piracy, and radicalisation together and also working to meet the Global South's aspirations.

The Indian PM praised Nigeria's membership in the International Solar Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance, and he invited the Nigerian President to join other pro-planet green initiatives launched by India such as Green Credits Initiative.

India and Nigeria have agreed to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation and work together to combat the threat of radicalisation and terrorism.

The Indian PM has announced a 20-ton humanitarian aid package to support flood relief efforts in Nigeria.

About Nigeria
Location	It is located in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic Ocean.
Population	It is Africa's most populous country and the world's sixth most populous.
Countries border Nigeria	Niger in the North Chad in the Northeast Cameroon in the East Benin in the West
Ethnic groups	The three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria are Hausa in the north, Yoruba in the west, and Igbo in the east, they together make up more than 60% of the population.
Economic Status	Nigeria's economy is the fourth-largest in Africa. The World Bank classified it as an emerging market.

India-Nigeria Bilateral Relations

India established its Diplomatic House in Lagos in 1958, two years before Nigeria's independence in 1960.

During Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's visit to Nigeria in 2007, both countries elevated their bilateral relationship to the status of "Strategic Partnership," changing their diplomatic ties from "Historical Friendship" to "Strategic Partners."

Defense Cooperation

India played an important role in establishing military institutions in Nigeria, such as the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna and the Naval College in Port Harcourt, among other elite military training facilities.

Several Nigerian officers have received training in Indian military institutions.

India and Nigeria signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defense cooperation in 2007.

Trade Relation

India was one of Nigeria's top five trading partners with bilateral trade volume totaling $11.8 billion for 2022-23. India is Nigeria's second-largest trading partner.

Bilateral trade between India and Nigeria fell from US$ 14.95 billion in 2021-22 to US$ 11.8 billion in 2022-23, mainly due to a decrease in the volume of oil purchased from Nigeria.

More than 150 Indian companies operate in Nigeria, they invested a combined $27 billion. The Indian diaspora is nearly 60,000, and is the country's largest non-African community.

Development Cooperation

India is assisting Nigeria's development on two fronts: concessional loans and capacity-building training programs.

India has been providing training through its Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Program since 1964. Nigeria receives approximately 250 civilian and 250 defense training slots each year.

In 2020, India and Nigeria signed an MoU on space cooperation with a focus on agriculture, the environment, mining, micro and mini satellites, and capacity building.

In 2022, Bio Vaccine Nigeria Ltd and Serum Institute of India (SII) formed a joint venture to produce vaccines locally in Nigeria.

Why is Nigeria Important for India?

Nigeria is crucial for India's engagement with Africa due to its economic potential and geopolitical significance. It is an important partner in several sectors including trade, energy, defense, and development.

Nigeria is one of India's important crude oil suppliers, which is crucial for India's energy security.

In addition to petroleum, Nigeria's natural resources include natural gas, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, and arable land providing ample investment opportunities for India to secure national interest.

Way Forward

High-level engagements and a focus on strategic initiatives in hydrocarbons, defense, and economic partnerships will help to boost trade and strengthen relations.

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Source:

The Hindu