President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has awarded the GCON to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Nigeria and India reaffirm their dedication to a strong strategic partnership.
Both nations also committed to enhancing collaboration in vital sectors, including economic growth, defense, healthcare, and food security.
These new agreements were outlined in a joint statement following Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to Nigeria, which was made at the invitation of President Tinubu.
The Indian PM, who arrived on Saturday night and was welcomed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, was received at the forecourt of Aso Villa yesterday morning by the President.
He was treated to full military parade followed with a 21-gun salute before going into the bilateral meeting with President Tinubu.
During the talks, the two leaders agreed to a greater collaboration in counterterrorism, maritime security, and intelligence sharing.
The two countries, according to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, will continue regular naval exercises and joint anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea to safeguard critical maritime routes.
The statement partly reads: ‘’The leaders reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including the cross-border movement of terrorists and terror financing networks and safe havens.
‘’They called for zero tolerance to terrorism and expeditious finalisation and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN Framework as well as the implementation of the UNGA and the UNSC resolutions on countering terrorism and violent extremism.
’It was agreed to enhance cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism.’’
The Prime Minister reiterated India’s readiness to support Nigeria’s defence modernisation efforts, highlighting his country’s emergence as a trusted defence equipment manufacturer.
The two leaders also highlighted the vibrant economic relationship between India and Nigeria, with India positioned as Nigeria’s largest trading partner and a significant contributor to its economy.
Nigeria commended the contributions of over 200 Indian companies operating in the country, which have generated substantial employment and investment opportunities.
On bilateral trade, both leaders directed their officials to finalise pending agreements, including the Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA), Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), and the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), to boost trade and investment.
They noted with satisfaction ‘’the fruits of some of the investments’’ agreed to by the Indian companies during Tinubu’s visit to India in September last year. They stressed the need for early finalisation of the remaining investments.
On the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit held from September 9th-10th, 2023, in New Delhi, the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and Business Conference took place, where Indian investors pledged a combined total of over $14 billion across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The investments were targeted at industrialisation, energy, telecommunications, and defence sectors.
On infrastructure, India reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s development priorities through concessional lines of credit and technical expertise.
In the area of energy , Nigeria and India agreed on long-term contracts for crude oil and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) supply and technical support in pipeline transmission security, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion and Liquified Natural Gas (LPG) bottling distribution.
The two leaders also discussed broader collaboration on food security and agriculture, health, education, and cultural exchanges.
On food security, the leaders agreed that it remains a priority for developing countries, especially with bigger populations.
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