Continuing cordial bond! India, Malawi etch pacts on extradition, atomic energy, visa waiver

Malawi: Enhancing bilateral relations, India and Malawi signed three MoUs on extradition, cooperation in atomic energy and visa waiver for diplomats and officials as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu met Malawian President Arthur Peter Mutharika and held wide-ranging talks.

During the meeting between the two leaders, India also offered specialised training programmes for Malawi defence forces. With this an MoU on cooperation in the field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes was signed between the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership and Malawi’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining.

The two sides also signed an MoU for an extradition treaty between the two countries and a visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also conveyed our agreement to extend the new line of credit of $215.16 million for 18 water projects in Malawi. India will also construct a Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre in Malawi. It will also gift a cancer treatment machine to the Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi.

India has agreed to allow import of mangoes from Malawi, adding that the country will also set up a pan-African training institute in agriculture under grant assistance in the landlocked nation. Malawi has also ratified the framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance.

VP Naidu arrived on November 4 on the concluding leg of his six-day three-nation tour to Africa, which aims at deepening India’s strategic cooperation with Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Underling that India and Malawi shared cordial relations and a similar colonial past, VP Naidu recalled the India visit of former Malawi president Bingu wa Mutharika, who was also the brother of the current head of the African nation.

On November 4, addressing a gathering of the Indian community, VP Naidu said the strong bilateral ties between the two nations are cemented by a common vision of developing the citizenry.