New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Friday extended heartfelt greetings to Zambian Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe, the government and the people of Zambia on the occasion of their Independence Day, reaffirming India’s commitment to deepening the long-standing partnership between the two countries
“Warm felicitations to FM Mulambo Haimbe, the Government and the people of Zambia on the occasion of their Independence. Committed to strengthening our time-tested partnership,” EAM posted on X.
Zambia on Friday celebrated its 61st Independence Day, marking its liberation from British colonial rule in October 1964.
This year’s Independence Day is being commemorated under the theme: ‘61 Years of Peace and Unity – Building a Resilient and Prosperous Zambia.’
India and Zambia enjoy warm and cordial relations. India established diplomatic relations with Zambia soon after its independence in 1964. Over these last six decades, India has come to be seen as a reliable partner and friend by successive Zambian leadership. The relationship continues to be driven by mutual respect and is based on a spirit of partnership for mutual benefit. India was among the first few countries to establish diplomatic relations with Zambia just after its independence in 1964.
Earlier in November 2024, the 6th Session of the Joint Permanent Commission at the Ministerial level between India and Zambia took place in Lusaka, wherein both sides undertook a comprehensive review of the entire gamut of bilateral relations.
The JPC discussed cooperation in the areas of agriculture, education, science and technology, energy, culture, housing and urban development, finance, development partnership, training scholarship and capacity building, defence, mines and mineral resources, transport and communications, water development and sanitation, disaster management, healthcare, etc.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Zambia is among the few African countries which has considerably benefited from India’s development cooperation programme.
India has provided EXIM Bank credits, railway wagons and flood and drought relief grants/assistance and lines of credit, besides fully paid scholarships for various higher education courses and ITEC training slots, as well as specialised capacity building programmes under the India-Africa Forum Summit.
–IANS
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