Context:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to Namibia’s National Assembly in July showcased a culturally rooted approach to diplomacy.
• By quoting a Namibian poet, invoking the symbolism of the Welwitschia mirabilis plant and the Springbok, and speaking in Oshiwambo, he struck a chord with the audience, earning laughter and applause.
• This grounded, culturally sensitive engagement reflects a sharp departure from Western approaches, which remain tied to conditional aid, migration control, and episodic withdrawals, such as recent USAID cutbacks.
• India’s style emphasizes partnership, respect, and shared symbolism over transactional assistance, presenting a new model of international cooperation.
• This article highlights India’s evolving engagement with Africa through the lens of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Namibia visit.

India’s Three-Step Engagement with Namibia

• India is pursuing a measured, adaptive approach in its engagement with Namibia, based on a deliberate three-step logic: shared history, present cooperation, and future-oriented collaboration.
• Anchoring in Shared History
  • India emphasizes anti-colonial solidarity and long-standing ties, recalling its support for Namibia’s liberation struggle and UN peacekeeping contributions.
  • These historical references reinforce India’s image as a consistent, long-term partner, unlike the episodic involvement of many other powers.
• Strengthening Present Cooperation
  • India highlights ongoing trade, modest at $800 million, but backed by a much larger $12 billion Africa-wide development partnership.
  • More importantly, India invests in capacity-building initiatives such as the India-Namibia Centre of Excellence in IT and the ‘India Wing’ at the University of Namibia, reflecting a focus on education, technology, and youth-oriented development.
• Building a Future Road Map
  • Looking ahead, India is pivoting towards knowledge-based cooperation.
  • Namibia’s adoption of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) marks a breakthrough in digital diplomacy.
  • This serves as a model for exporting not just digital tools, but also governance frameworks and institutional know-how tested in India.
• In essence, India’s approach to Namibia reflects a thoughtful, durable model of partnership, rooted in historical solidarity, strengthened by pragmatic cooperation, and projected toward a shared digital and developmental future.

Advantage Namibia: India’s Strategic Engagement

• Namibia offers India a reliable partner due to its political stability, rich mineral wealth, and growing technological base.
• Shared histories and a vision for equitable governance provide a strong foundation.
• President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s call for fairer global financial systems aligns closely with India’s push for inclusive, just global governance.

Outcomes of Modi’s Visit

• Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Namibia, the first in nearly three decades, was symbolically important but produced modest outcomes.
• Agreements included two MoUs on entrepreneurship and health, and Namibia’s accession to the Global Biofuels Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
• These steps are valuable, but fall short of the full potential of the partnership.

Missed Opportunity on Critical Minerals

• Namibia, a leading uranium producer, is crucial for India’s goal of resilient low-carbon supply chains.
• However, the visit did not yield a strategic framework for cooperation in resource access, workforce development, or investment in value addition.
• While acknowledged, discussions failed to deliver concrete agreements in this high-value area.

India’s Distinctive Approach

• Despite gaps, India’s engagement stands out for how it builds trust—through inclusive dialogue, recognition of historical solidarity, and respect for African priorities.
• Unlike transactional Western approaches, India positions itself as a long-term partner in shaping the Global South’s collective agency and aspirations.

Moving Beyond Symbolism: India’s Next Steps in Africa

• The upcoming India-Africa Forum Summit offers a timely platform to institutionalise recent diplomatic gestures into formal cooperation frameworks.
• It is an opportunity for India to demonstrate that its engagement with Africa is not episodic but built on enduring political resolve.
• For India to build credibility, symbolism alone will not suffice.
• It must address structural and operational shortcomings at home, ensuring that its strategic ambitions in Africa are backed by sustained financial investment, coherent policies, and robust institutional support.
• India’s credibility as a trusted Global South partner will ultimately depend not only on the promises it makes but also on consistent, collaborative follow-through.
• Long-term partnerships require more than goodwill; they demand reliable execution and mutual trust.

Conclusion

• India’s partnership with Namibia reflects a promising model of trust-based diplomacy, but its true credibility will depend on consistent follow-through, strategic investment, and sustained institutional commitment.