- The State Visit by President Droupadi Murmu to Angola and Botswana marks the first-ever visit by an Indian Head of State to both nations, signalling India’s commitment to deepening its engagement with the African continent and the Global South.
- India’s partnership with Angola is strategically driven by energy security, diversification, and cooperation in defence, critical minerals, and sustainable development sectors.
- In Botswana, the focus extends beyond diamonds to capacity building, digital infrastructure, and environmental cooperation, reflecting India’s evolving role as a development and strategic partner.
- By engaging Angola and Botswana through initiatives like the Global Biofuels Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance, India strengthens South-South cooperation and its leadership in building a multipolar, equitable global order.
The State Visit by President Droupadi Murmu to Angola and Botswana from November 8 to 13, 2025, is historic as it is the first visit by an Indian Head of State to both of these Southern African countries. This high-level engagement embodies India’s commitment to its historical partnership with the African continent and is indicative of its priority to enhance cooperation within the Global South. The visit is more than just a ceremonial visit; it is a strategic engagement to facilitate diversification and deepen partnerships in critical areas, and is also a consequence of the artificial momentum created from the decision by the African Union to be a permanent member of the G20 under India’s presidency.
India’s Strategic Imperative with Angola
Engagement with Angola, which this year celebrates 40 years of diplomatic relations, is of considerable strategic importance, driven chiefly by energy security. Angola is an important producer of crude oil as well as Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), and India is one of Angola’s largest trading partners, with bilateral trade estimated at approximately $5 billion, about 80% of which is in the energy arena. During the President’s meeting with her Angolan counterpart, President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, discussions covered securing long-term purchase contracts for oil and gas, and opportunities for Indian companies investing in onshore and offshore upstream projects and in the petroleum refining business in Angola. This vista of cooperation is of particular importance to India in diversifying energy sourcing and enhancing India’s refining capabilities internationally.
In addition to energy, the visit aims to widen the partnership into new and emerging sectors. Defence and security are key new focus areas, with India finalising a $200 million Line of Credit (LoC) to assist with the modernisation of Angola’s defence forces. Both countries are also discussing areas of cooperation related to the exploration of minerals classified as rare and critical, which are important to support India’s advancement of high-tech industries (e.g., electric vehicles, semiconductors). Cooperation agreements were signed related to fisheries, aquaculture, and marine resources to demonstrate a commitment to sustainable economic development. Lastly, the visit was noted for Angola’s decision to join key Indian-led global initiatives: the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), which support a shared commitment to sustainability and climate action. Additionally, President Murmu’s presence at the 50th Independence Day celebrations highlighted the deep friendship shared by both countries.
Deepening Ties with Botswana: A Democracy Anchor
The second leg of the tour, to the democratic and resource-rich country of Botswana, also carries considerable weight. Botswana and India share the loftiest ideals of democracy and the rule of law, and are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations next year. The trade relationship has historically been dominated by diamonds and gems—with India being a global leader in cutting and polishing diamonds using rough diamonds sourced from Botswana—but the emphasis of the President’s visit is economic diversification and capacity building, which is also in keeping with Botswana’s Vision 2036 document.
Discussions are focused on enhancing cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, technology, energy, agriculture, health, and pharmaceuticals. The capacity-building partnership continues to be a strong pillar, with India providing ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) and ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) scholarships to Batswana students. A prominent environmental and strategic engagement is Botswana’s readiness to send a considerable number of cheetahs to India under Project Cheetah, further underlining India’s attempts at wildlife conservation. President Murmu’s speech to the National Assembly of Botswana and her engagements with the local Indian community highlight the democratic and people-to-people connection that aims to leverage India’s expertise in Digital Public Infrastructure and inexpensive Space Technology to support Botswana’s development goals.
Reinforcing Global South Solidarity
Together, the two-country tour reinforces India’s vigorous “Look Africa” policy and its status as a leader in the Global South. By strengthening relationships with these key Southern African states, India is furthering the India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) agenda and demonstrating that Africa will continue to be a focus of India’s foreign policy. This landmark visit signifies a commitment to developing a partnership that is not simply transactional but instead is based on mutual trust, respect, and a co-vision for shared prosperity. It seeks to raise India from a development partner to a full strategic partner across political, economic, and security dimensions, in an increasingly globally significant area.
The incorporation of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G20 under India’s presidency has fundamentally changed the dynamics of global governance and cemented India’s credibility as a true champion of the developing world. President Murmu’s travels to Angola and Botswana are a direct expression of this commitment to not just rhetorical solidarity, but also values and practical, needs-based cooperation. An example is how the energy security engagement with Angola is framed by mutual benefit in India’s proposal to share knowledge in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) models, such as Aadhaar and UPI, and then followed up with Lines of Credit for capacity building with Botswana. The Indian approach is a direct departure from the historical donor-recipient model, which traditionally emphasised aid with donor conditionalities and was often uncoupled from the recipient’s domestic needs. India emphasises a mutually beneficial partnership with its Southern partners that is also non-patrimonial, respects state sovereignty and advances self-reliance, which are fundamental to Global South cooperation.
Moreover, the engagement of both Angola and Botswana in important Indian-led multilateral initiatives, including the Global Biofuels Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance, suggests a growing alignment on global issues, such as climate change and biodiversity. The intent behind such cooperation is to create a common voice in global forums that would not prioritise the developmental and climate justice needs of the Global South over the requirements of the industrialised West. India not only secures its strategic interests by folding such states into a common agenda for sustainable development but also builds a formidable coalition with the ability to create a more just and multipolar world order, reaffirming its standing as a reliable and trustworthy partner on the African continent.
References:
- https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/40261/State+visit+of+the+President+of+India+to+Angola+and+Botswana+November+08++13+20
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=21880
- https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/40270/English_Translation_of_Press_Statement_by_President_during_State_Visit_to_Angola
- https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/india-angola-to-deependefence-energy-ties-200-million-line-of-credit-to-be-finalised-mea202511070122
- https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/botswana-ready-to-send-good-number-of-cheetahs-to-india-says-mea-ahead-of-president-murmus-visit20251106205939
Hridbina Chatterjee is a final-year postgraduate student in International Relations at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. She has written for newspapers and think tanks, with interests in South Asian politics, India’s foreign policy, and the Indo-Pacific. Views expressed are the author’s own.
Tejashree P V 
Divyanka Tandon 
Diksha Bharti