A meeting to strengthen trade and cultural ties between India and the member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held in the city.
The president of the Indian Economic and Trade Organization Asif Iqbal, Trade Commissioner of India African Union Trade Council Shahul Hamid, High Commissioner Republic of Malawi to India Leonard Mengezi, High Commission of the Kingdom of Lesotho Charge D’Affairs Thabang Linus Kholumo, Consul of Myanmar in Tamil Nadu Ranganathan and others were present during the event, said a press release.
Mr. Mengezi said India-Malawi relations dated back to the 18 th Century. He said Malawi supported India’s candidacy for the U.N. Security Council. The Government of India had issued a line of credit for $163 million to Malawi, which helped the country in sectors like petroleum and sugar processing. He also said if businesses were established in Malawi from India, they would be allowed to export from there to America and arrangements have been made for Malawians to get training in India through various Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs).
Mr. Iqbal added that there was a huge interest in India for Lesotho, a country with great scope for bilateral trading opportunities in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), pharma and manufacturing sectors. This meeting would also be useful for identifying business partners, collaborations, alliances, setting up industrial units, display Indian products and services and other related business activities while also taking up issues with the authorities concerned.
