India and Namibia explore greater cooperation in strengthening defence engagement

India and Namibia recently reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral defence ties in a meeting between Air Vice Marshal Teofilus Shaende, Commander of the Namibian Air Force and  Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani, the Vice Chief of India’s Air Staff.

Shaende’s visit to India from June 8 to 13 was aimed at discussing avenues for further strengthening defence engagement between the two countries, with the discussions primarily focused on enhancing training cooperation, capability development, and fostering a strategic partnership.

India’s support of and engagement with Namibia is decades old, with India being among the first nations to raise the question of Namibian independence in the United Nations in 1946. 

Namibia’s liberation movement SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organisation ), which is now known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, had its first Embassy abroad established in New Delhi in 1986. 

Accordance of full diplomatic status and support at NAM was also accompanied by material assistance and military training.

After Namibian independence in 1990, the Indian Observer Mission was upgraded to a full-fledged High Commission on 21 March 1990 and Namibia opened a fully-fledged resident Mission in New Delhi in March 1994.

India and Namibia enjoy warm and cordial relations. The Namibian people and leadership view India as a dependable and trusted friend. Indian support during their liberation struggle is warmly recalled by Namibian leaders, according to a statement by the Indian High Commission in Namibia.

African countries have increasingly looked at India as a formidable force in the defence sector and these engagements have become more frequent.

In May, during a visit in New Delhi, Angolan president João Lourenço signed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a series of strategic agreements in the field of defence, energy, trade and cultural exchange. 

One of the most notable announcements was a $200 million Indian defence credit line to modernise Angola’s army.

During his visit, Shaende also paid tribute to India’s fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the National War Memorial in Delhi, symbolising the deep respect and enduring friendship between India and Namibia. This gesture underscored the shared values and mutual regard that underpin the bilateral relationship.

There have been regular high-level exchanges and structured dialogues between the two countries in recent years, including the fourth round of India-Namibia Foreign Office Consultations held in Windhoek in 2022, where both sides conducted a comprehensive review of their bilateral relations. 

Defence cooperation remains a key pillar of this partnership, with ongoing efforts to modernise and build the capabilities of the Namibian Defence Force through collaboration with nations like India.

The current engagement between the two air forces is expected to further boost training exchanges, joint exercises, and knowledge sharing, contributing to the modernisation and operational readiness of the Namibian Air Force. Both countries are committed to leveraging their partnership to address common security challenges and promote peace and stability in their respective regions.

Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in June also called for the continued strengthening of bilateral ties between Namibia and India, as she received that country's High Commissioner, Rahul Shrivastava, at State House for a courtesy visit.

“The relationship between India and Namibia has a very long history and we need to maintain that history by continuously strengthening this cooperation.

“Personally I must express my appreciation to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for having sent me a message of congratulations after my election last year.”

Nandi-Ndaitwah said India participated in the inauguration, describing this as testimony of the friendship that exists between the two countries. 

In terms of the economic and commercial relationship, bilateral trade has shown a steady growth in recent years with trade  of $813 million in 2023/24 with India’s exports amounting to $453.38 million.  In the year 2024/25, the two-way trade touched $568.40. India’s exports were at $327.21 million and imports from Namibia amounted to $241.19 million. 

Sectors of mining, energy, infrastructure development, health, education, agriculture and trade and investment offer further potential for bilateral cooperation.

* Dr Govender is an academic and a keen observer of issues related to international relations.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.