Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Windhoek on 9 July 2025, becoming the first Indian head of government to visit Namibia in 27 years and only the third ever, following visits in 1990 and 1998. Upon arrival, he paid respects at Heroes’ Acre and received a ceremonial guard of honour and 21-gun salute.
Modi was conferred Namibia’s highest civilian honour, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, recognising his role in strengthening bilateral ties. During the visit, four major agreements were signed, including cooperation in health and medicine, the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Centre, and Namibia’s accession to two Indian-led global initiatives: the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
Modi announced that Namibia would implement India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) by the end of 2025. This follows an April licensing agreement between NPCI International and the Bank of Namibia, paving the way for UPI to become the first digital payments system facilitated outside India.
Namibia is one of the world’s top producers of uranium, and also holds significant reserves of lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements- materials critical to India’s clean energy transition and semiconductor ambitions. Indian officials confirmed that talks were initiated on establishing long-term uranium supply contracts, as India seeks to secure fuel for its expanding civilian nuclear energy programme. According to the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy, India has also expressed interest in direct procurement of Namibia’s marine diamonds, valued at over 80 million carats, bypassing intermediaries in Antwerp and Dubai and increasing returns for both countries.
India offered a line of credit to Namibia for the purchase of Indian defence equipment and simulator training systems. The two countries agreed to explore the possibility of joint naval exercises and personnel training, expanding India’s maritime footprint in the southern Atlantic and supporting India’s Indo-Pacific maritime policy.
Project Cheetah, launched in 2022, also formed part of the official discourse. Namibia originally transported eight cheetahs to India’s Kuno National Park. Today, there are 12, and discussions are already under way for a second phase.
Namibia’s Foreign Minister Peya Mushelenga noted that Namibia is seeking to “diversify its economic and strategic partnerships,” and called India’s approach “refreshing and practical.” He highlighted the potential for joint ventures in pharmaceuticals, agri-tech, and green hydrogen.
Implementation, however, remains as a challenge. Agreements on UPI, uranium procurement, and defence cooperation are expected to undergo a detailed follow-up over the next six months. A technical committee is being established to oversee execution, and Indian diplomatic staff in Windhoek will be expanded by September 2025 to support the agenda.
Modi’s departure on 10 July concludes a five nation tour that included Ghana, Argentina, Brazil, and Trinidad & Tobago. Analysts have described the Namibian leg as “substantive and forward-looking.” Professor Sanusha Naidu of the Institute for Global Dialogue in Pretoria remarked, “India is now offering a viable development alternative that many African countries are ready to explore more seriously, especially in fintech, energy and education.”
Dhanishtha De is a trainee journalist at Cult Current. The views expressed in the article are
her ownand do not necessarily reflect the official stance of Cult Current.