Namibia
India and Namibia enjoy warm and cordial relations. Diplomatic relations with independent Namibia were established right from the moment of its independence, with the Indian Observer Mission being upgraded to a full-fledged High Commission on 21 March 1990. Namibia opened a full-fledged resident Mission in New Delhi in March 1994.
Cooperation to tackle the challenge of COVID-19 Pandemic
- India has extended humanitarian assistance of 30,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine (Covishield) to Namibia to fight the pandemic in March 2021.
Capacity Building & Other Exchanges
- As per an MoU signed in 2016 during President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Namibia, an India-Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) has been established at Namibia University of Science and Technology with the financial and technical support of Government of India. India has provided computers and servers, alongwith a PARAM Supercomputer as also trained local lecturers at CDAC in India. The INCEIT started operating in 2019 and was formally inaugurated by Hon'ble External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on 5th June 2023 together with Hon'ble Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of International Relations of Namibia, Dr. Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah, during his visit to Namibia.
- Under the ITEC programme, apart from a large number of Namibian candidates trained in India so far, several ITEC experts have also been deputed to Namibia. In 2016, India announced increasing of ITEC slots, donation of 1000 tons of rice, 100 tons of medicines and USD 20,000 to Indira Gandhi Maternity Clinic. The cash grant of USD 20,000 for the Indira Gandhi Maternity Clinic in Okahao was handed over on 8 August 2017. The donation of 1000 tons of rice for drought relief was handed over on 6 March 2018. Since 2002, 1177 professionals have been trained under ITEC, and 498 professionals have been trained in just 9 years since 2014-15. Govt. of India has offered 141 slots under ITEC programme in 2023-24.
- An MOU between Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) and Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) concerning Technical Cooperation in the Area of Capacity Building of Public Officials was signed in Windhoek on 4 September 2018.
- Scholarships
- ICCR Scholarships: 25
- CV Raman Scholarships
- Special training conducted
- Ten representatives from Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ministry of Finance, National Planning Commission and civil society groups visited India with support of UNAIDS in June-July 2019 to learn from India’s experience of effectively using its social contracting mechanism in its AIDS control programme.
- Two participants from Namibia were part of a group of 37 African doctors who attended ‘Mid-Career Specialized Training Programme’ conducted by Apollo Hospitals Group and sponsored by GOI at 6 locations in India in July-Aug 2019.
- 15-year-old Namibian cricketer Alexander Volschenk went to Bengaluru in October 2019 to attend a month-long Commonwealth cricket training camp run by BCCI and sponsored by Govt. of India.
- Vice Chancellor of University of Namibia, Prof Kenneth Matengu, visited India in September-October 2019 under ICCR’s Academic Visitor’s Programme.
- A group of 20 diplomats from Namibia visited India in November-December 2019 for a special training course at Foreign Service Institute, New Delhi.
- Under FSI’s Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats and Special Course for Commonwealth Diplomats, 14 Namibian diplomats have also been trained so far.
- A Forensic Expert from the NFSU, India was on a three-month deputation (June-August 2022) to the Namibian Police Forensic Science Institute to render training to Namibian forensic officials.
Development Cooperation (Grants/ LoCs/ Assistance)
- GOI made a donation of Rupees two crores (equivalent to Namibian dollars 3.364 millions) to Namibia towards drought relief in August 2013. On earlier two occasions, donations of Rs. 1 crore were given each time for the flood relief.
- India granted USD 12.16 million to Namibia for the construction of twin faculties of Mining Engineering and Information Technology at University of Namibia’s Ongwediva Campus, which has been named as India Wing. The project was completed and handed over to the University in June 2014. Grants-in-aid worth USD 10 million was announced in 2009, under which India has supplied IT equipment to Namibian Ministry of Health & Social Services.
- Organisation of a Jaipur Foot Camp on 17 Sept to 22 October, 2019 at Rundu - a total of 408 prosthetics fitted.
- An India Namibia Plastic Technology Centre (INPTC) was set up at Ondangwa, Namibia in 2001 (MoU signed in 1998) at a cost of Rs 3.72 crore to Govt of India. It was executed by National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC).
- Under Hole-in-the-wall Education Project, GOI set up two learning stations in Windhoek in 2009 at the cost of Rs 22.70 lakhs.
- Under Grants-in-aid worth US$10 million, announced during the visit of President Pohamba to India in 2009, India has supplied IT equipment to Namibian Ministry of Health & Social Services.
- Grant of Rs. 86 lakhs were provided for solar electrification of Okongwe and Donkerbos villages in Namibia in 2011.
- India granted USD 12.16 million to Namibia for the construction of twin faculties of Mining Engineering and Information Technology at University of Namibia’s Ongwediva Campus, which has been named as India Wing. The project was completed and handed over to the University in June 2014.
- At the request of Namibian Govt., GOI has sponsored a Preparation of Project Formulation Report for commercial Jojoba production in arid areas of Namibia at a cost of Rs 55 lakh (NAD 1.1 million). The study was done by Mahindra Consulting Engineers, whose expert team from India had visited Namibia for the same in March 2021.
- The MoU for establishment of the IN-CEIT at Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) was signed on 16th June 2016 during the State visit of President of India to Namibia, with the objective of developing industry oriented programmes to address IT skills requirements in Namibia. C-DAC was the designated implementing agency for establishing the Centre at an approximate cost of INR 5.32 Cr., funded by GoI. The INCEIT started operating in 2019 and was formally inaugurated by Hon'ble External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on 5th June 2023 together with Hon'ble Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of International Relations of Namibia, Dr.Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah, during his visit to Namibia.
- Cash Grants:
- Donations of Rs 1 crore each time in 2008 and in 2011 (approx. N$ 2 million), were given for flood relief.
- The cash grant of USD 20,000 for the Indira Gandhi Maternity Clinic in Okahao was handed over on 8 August 2017.
- Rs 2 crores (approx N$ 4 million) were given to Namibia towards drought relief in August 2013.
- Humanitarian Aid:
- Indian donated 1000 MT rice (2018)
- India donated 1000 MT rice for drought relief in 2019.
- Organisation of a Jaipur Foot Camp on 17 Sept to 22 October, 2019 at Rundu - a total of 408 prosthetics fitted.
