Nigeria and India have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, defence cooperation, and collaboration among countries of the Global South following a high-level engagement at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, received a delegation from the 66th Course of India’s National Defence College, New Delhi, during a courtesy visit to the ministry on Monday. 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 landscape, and strategic outlook.
Speaking during the visit, Ambassador Ahmed highlighted the longstanding and cordial relations between Nigeria and India, describing the partnership as one built on shared democratic values, historical friendship, growing economic engagement, and cooperation within regional and multilateral institutions.
He noted that the visit provided an important platform for enhancing mutual understanding and expanding collaboration in critical sectors, including defence, security, capacity building, technology transfer, and sustainable development.
The Permanent Secretary also commended India for its continued support in military training, professional development, and defence cooperation, noting that such assistance has contributed significantly to strengthening Nigeria’s institutional capacities and promoting regional security.
Discussions during the interactive session focused on Nigeria’s foreign policy priorities, emerging global geopolitical developments, regional security challenges, and opportunities for deeper cooperation between the two countries.
Ambassador Ahmed underscored the importance of stronger collaboration among developing nations and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to advancing South-South cooperation through platforms such as BRICS and other multilateral arrangements. He also highlighted Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa through the implementation of the African Union Agenda 2063, regional peace and security initiatives, infrastructure development, and economic integration efforts.
According to him, Nigeria remains committed to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity across Africa through diplomacy, strategic partnerships, and regional cooperation.
The meeting also explored opportunities for enhanced collaboration in counter-terrorism operations, intelligence sharing, border management, professional military education, and the deployment of emerging technologies to address evolving security threats.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Colonel Manoj, the Indian Defence Adviser to Nigeria, expressed appreciation for the warm reception and productive discussions. He praised the enduring relationship between both countries and expressed confidence that continued engagement would further strengthen bilateral ties while contributing to international peace, security, and development.
The visit concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to expanding cooperation in diplomacy, defence, security, education, technology, and development.
