By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Republic of India have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations, defence cooperation, and collaboration among countries of the Global South.
This was highlighted on Monday when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, received a delegation from the 66th Course of the National Defence College, New Delhi, India, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.
The delegation, led by Ms Anvita Sinha, was in Nigeria as part of a foreign study tour aimed at gaining insights into the country’s socio-economic development, foreign policy direction, security environment, and strategic outlook.
Speaking during the visit, Ambassador Ahmed described Nigeria and India as longstanding partners bound by shared democratic values, historical ties, expanding economic relations, and cooperation within regional and multilateral institutions.
He noted that the visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen mutual understanding and expand collaboration in key sectors including defence, security, capacity building, technology transfer, and sustainable development.
The Permanent Secretary commended India for its sustained support in military training, professional development, and defence cooperation, noting that such partnerships have contributed significantly to strengthening institutional capacities and enhancing regional security.
Discussions during the interactive session centred on Nigeria’s foreign policy priorities, global geopolitical developments, regional security challenges, and opportunities for stronger bilateral cooperation.
Ambassador Ahmed stressed the need for deeper collaboration among countries of the Global South and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to promoting South-South cooperation through platforms such as BRICS and other multilateral arrangements designed to advance the interests of developing nations.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa, particularly in the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, as well as efforts towards regional peace and security, infrastructure development, and economic integration.
According to him, Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, stability, and prosperity across Africa through diplomacy, strategic partnerships, and regional cooperation.
The discussions also explored opportunities for enhanced collaboration in counter-terrorism operations, intelligence sharing, border management, professional military education, and the deployment of emerging technologies to tackle evolving security threats.
Ambassador Ahmed expressed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen cooperation with India in these critical areas for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Indian Defence Adviser to Nigeria, Colonel Manoj, appreciated the Ministry for the warm reception and productive engagement.
He commended the enduring relationship between Nigeria and India and expressed confidence that sustained dialogue and collaboration would further strengthen bilateral ties and contribute to global peace, security, and development.
The meeting ended with both countries reaffirming their commitment to expanding cooperation in diplomacy, defence, security, education, technology, and development.
