16 Aug 2022

Bilateral cooperation between Botswana and India have grown exponentially since its establishment in 1966, Assistant Minister for State President, Mr Dumezweni Mthimkhulu has said.

Speaking at the 75th anniversary of the independence of India in Gaborone Monday, Mr Mthimkhulu said the bilateral relations were not only broad in scope, but also profound in their impact on the society.

He said Botswana and India continued to cooperate in areas such as public health, education and skills development, technical assistance, trade and investment as well as defence and security.

The assistant minister also said Botswana enjoyed fruitful cooperation in the extensive training programmes offered by the Indian government under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation and Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Mr Mthimkhulu applauded India for direct participation in development of the country adding that hundreds of Batswana had benefited from the programmes including receiving quality education, both short and long term.

He said Botswana and India shared a long history of cordial relations based on the shared principles and values of multiparty democracy, respect for human rights, strength of institutions, and commitment to justice and individual freedoms.

“This celebration marks enduring relationship through cultural exchanges, people to people interaction because Botswana is a proud beneficiary of India’s many successes.

For his part, Indian High Commissioner to Botswana, Dr Rajesh Ranjan explained that the Indian Independence Day was celebrated annually on August 15 and was a national holiday in India

“This is the day when the provisions of the 1947 Indian Independence Act, which transferred legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly, came into effect,” he said.

Dr Ranjan said it was on  August 15, 1947 that the people of India first hoisted their national flag as a sign of liberation from the colonial rule.

“India has been a close partner of Botswana in all its endeavours, our bilateral cooperation extends in multifarious dimensions, including developmental and strategic partnerships, trade, infrastructure projects.” Ends