Deputy President of South Africa, H.E. Mr Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, met the Vice President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, at Uprashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi today, during his official visit to India. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior Ministers and officials of the Government of South Africa.
The two leaders held productive discussions on further strengthening the India–South Africa bilateral relations, with a focus on trade, investment, defence cooperation, skills development, and enhancing people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views on advancing the priorities of the Global South and enhancing cooperation in multilateral forums such as BRICS, G20, IBSA and IORA.
The leaders discussed ways to unlock the full potential of bilateral economic ties and emphasized the need to create a conducive environment for businesses and investors. In this context, the Vice President highlighted the proposed India–Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Preferential Trade Agreement and expressed hope for the early commencement and successful conclusion of negotiations.
Both sides welcomed the growing defence cooperation between the two countries and looked forward to expanding collaboration, including through future editions of the IBSAMAR naval exercise involving India, Brazil and South Africa.
The Vice President thanked South Africa for supporting India’s cheetah reintroduction programme through the transfer of cheetahs. Noting the encouraging progress of Project Cheetah, including successful breeding in the wild, he sought South Africa’s continued cooperation in this unique conservation initiative.
The Vice President also invited South Africa to consider joining India’s flagship multilateral initiatives, the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), noting their alignment with shared development and sustainability objectives.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and South Africa to further strengthening their bilateral relations and working together for peace, prosperity, sustainable development, and the interests of the Global South. The Vice President wished Deputy President Mashatile and the members of his delegation a productive and pleasant stay in India.