12 Nov 2025

Botswana is set to receive a major boost in its healthcare sector following India’s pledge to supply antiretroviral (ARV) medicines to support the country’s HIV/AIDS response.

The announcement was made by President Droupadi Murmu of India at the Office of the President on November 12.

She said India’s pledge to send essential ARV medicines to Botswana came as part of a newly-signed Memorandum of Understanding on Pharmacopoeia Cooperation, aimed at strengthening medical collaboration between the two countries and ensuring the supply of safe and affordable pharmaceuticals from India.

“We witnessed the signing of an important agreement which will help in providing good quality and affordable Indian medicines to the citizens of Botswana. This gesture reflects India’s deep respect for the people of Botswana and our shared values in promoting human welfare,” she said.

 President Murmu said India was honoured to contribute to Botswana’s public health efforts and commended government for its continued commitment to universal health access.

In response, President Advocate Duma Boko expressed gratitude, describing the donation as a 'timely and compassionate gesture that would make a tangible difference in people’s lives'. 

“We are humbled by India’s generous offer of ARV medication to Botswana. It will help solve a persistent problem in our healthcare and ensure that our citizens continue to access treatment that sustains life and dignity.”

President Boko noted that the health cooperation formed part of broader discussions between the two leaders, which also covered trade, education, defence, digitalisation and intellectual property.

He commended India’s advances in medical science and pharmaceuticals, adding that Botswana’s Parliament would, in time, draw from India’s legislative experience on patent protection and affordability of life-saving drugs.

Further, President Boko said India’s courts had been a global guide in defining fair access to medicine, especially against exploitative practices. 

“As we expand local manufacturing, such precedents will help shape our own laws to keep essential treatment within reach for every Motswana.”

The two Heads of State also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen ties in education and technology, with President Boko paying tribute to India educators who shaped Botswana’s early education system.

“Many of us were taught by Indian teachers in Mathematics and Science,” he recalled. 

“Their discipline and precision left a lasting mark and it is no surprise that India today leads in global innovation and technology.”

President Boko also announced that Botswana would gift eight cheetahs to India under the Project Cheetah wildlife conservation initiative, calling it a 'symbol of friendship, agility and shared commitment to sustainability'. 

President Murmu in turn, expressed delight at the gesture, assuring that the animals would be well-cared for as part of India’s ecosystem restoration efforts.

President Murmu’s visit, which comes ahead of the 60th anniversary of Botswana–India diplomatic relations in 2026, marks a new chapter in cooperation across multiple sectors. 

The state visit to Botswana is the first-ever by an Indian Head of State in the 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations. ENDS