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Nigeria connected Sunday conferred its second-highest nationalist award, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, connected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making him the 2nd overseas dignitary to person the favoritism aft Queen Elizabeth, who was conferred the grant successful 1969.
“Honoured to beryllium conferred with the ‘Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger’ Award by Nigeria. I judge it with large humility and dedicate it to the radical of India,” Modi said successful his remarks aft receiving the award, which was his 17th planetary honour.
In his televised opening remarks astatine the meeting, PM Modi said, “We springiness precocious precedence to our strategical concern with Nigeria… I americium assured that a caller section successful our ties volition statesman pursuing our talks.” He identified terrorism, separatism, piracy and cause trafficking arsenic large challenges and said “the 2 countries person worked unneurotic to woody with them and volition proceed to bash so”.
The PM is successful Nigeria connected the archetypal limb of his three-nation sojourn astatine the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This sojourn is the archetypal by an Indian PM to Nigeria successful 17 years.
Modi held talks with President Tinubu connected Sunday, and said that India accords precocious precedence to its strategical concern with Nigeria and it volition enactment towards boosting ties successful a scope of areas, including defence, vigor and trade.
President Tinubu appreciated the improvement practice concern offered by India and its meaningful interaction successful creating section capacities, skills, and nonrecreational expertise. The 2 leaders besides discussed enhancing defence and information cooperation. They reaffirmed their committedness to jointly warring terrorism, piracy and radicalisation, said an MEA connection Sunday.
Referring to the African Union becoming a imperishable subordinate of the G20 astatine the India-hosted acme past year, Modi described it arsenic a important outcome. “Nigeria has had a immense and affirmative relation successful Africa. And, adjacent practice with Africa has been a precocious precedence for India,” the PM said successful a station connected X.
Following the meeting, Modi said, “Had a precise productive treatment with President Tinubu. We talked astir adding momentum to our strategical partnership. There is immense scope for ties to flourish adjacent further successful sectors similar defence, energy, technology, trade, health, acquisition and more.”
On Sunday, Modi besides described the astir 60,000-strong Indian expatriate assemblage arsenic a cardinal pillar of India-Nigeria relations and thanked Tinubu for ensuring their welfare. Earlier successful the day, helium posted connected X a missive sent by the Maharashtrian assemblage successful Nigeria expressing happiness for giving Marathi the classical connection status.
Before the delegation-level talks, Modi and Tinubu held a one-on-one gathering astatine the Presidential Villa. Following the talks, 3 MoUs — connected Cultural Exchange Programme, Customs Cooperation and Survey Cooperation — were signed. The PM besides announced that India is sending 20 tonnes of alleviation supplies for Nigerian radical deed by floods past month.
There are much than 200 Indian companies who person invested astir $27 cardinal successful each important manufacturing sectors and these companies are the second-largest employers aft the national government, according to Indian officials.
On his accomplishment successful Nigeria Sunday, Modi was welcomed by Minister for Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who presented him with the ‘Key to the City’ of Abuja. “The cardinal symbolises the spot and honour bestowed connected the Prime Minister by the radical of Nigeria,” the MEA said successful a station connected X.
India has emerged arsenic a improvement spouse of Nigeria connected 2 fronts — by offering developmental assistance done concessional loans ($100 million) and by offering capacity-building grooming programmes.
In the run-up to Modi’s Nigeria visit, NSA Ajit Doval hosted his Nigerian counterpart Nuhu Ribadu past month, for the Second Strategic and Counter-Terrorism Dialogue betwixt the 2 countries. “The nationalist information advisors held in-depth discussions wrong the model of the strategical India-Nigeria concern connected threats and challenges emanating from terrorism, extremism, radicalisation, including done cyberspace, arsenic good arsenic from planetary crime, arms and cause smuggling,” said the MEA statement.
From Abuja, Modi volition question to Brazil to be the G20 Summit. His past destination volition beryllium Guyana.
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