by Marion Smith

The High Commission of India in Pretoria marked India’s 80th Independence Day with a celebration of the country’s remarkable journey since independence and the enduring friendship between India and South Africa.

High Commissioner of India to South Africa Mr Prabhat Kumar welcomed the Guest of Honour, Dr Jack Bloom, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation of South Africa, together with distinguished guests from the diplomatic, political, business and cultural communities.

In his address, Mr Kumar reflected on India’s transformation into an inclusive, vibrant and democratic nation, noting that the foundations established by the Constitution have remained central to the country’s socio-economic development.

He highlighted the deepening India-South Africa relationship, particularly following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025 during South Africa’s G20 Presidency. He expressed India’s appreciation for South Africa’s leadership, commitment and hospitality throughout its G20 Presidency.

Bilateral relations have continued to expand across political, economic and strategic sectors. Mr Kumar pointed to high-level visits between the two countries, including a visit to India by South Africa’s Deputy President, accompanied by a senior delegation, as well as parliamentary and ministerial exchanges.

With India holding the BRICS chairmanship in 2026, Mr Kumar said South Africa’s active participation in BRICS engagements in India was contributing to closer cooperation. He also looked forward to welcoming President Cyril Ramaphosa to the BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September.

Trade and investment remain important pillars of the relationship. Mr Kumar noted that bilateral trade reached approximately US$15.57 billion, while Indian investments in South Africa stood at around R3 billion. The signing of terms of reference for a trade agreement between the Southern African Customs Union and India was welcomed as an important step towards expanding trade and investment.

Mining and critical minerals have emerged as promising areas of cooperation. India’s participation at Mining Indaba 2026 in Cape Town and a subsequent Indian business delegation to the Northern Cape demonstrated growing interest in strengthening investment and collaboration in the sector.

The India-Africa Critical Mineral Symposium, held in partnership with the University of Pretoria, brought together mining companies, industry experts, consultants and academics to explore opportunities in this strategically important field.

People-to-people connections also featured prominently in the High Commissioner’s address. India has extended Overseas Citizenship of India eligibility to up to seven generations of persons of Indian origin from South Africa, further recognising the Indian diaspora as a living bridge between the two nations.

Education, tourism and cultural exchanges are also growing. India offered more than 100 academic scholarships to South African and Eswatini students, while Indian and South African universities continued to expand institutional partnerships.

Mr Kumar highlighted cultural initiatives including the installation of a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the War Museum in Bloemfontein, the documentary Caught in the Koskaya, the 3rd Indian Film Festival in Durban and International Day of Yoga celebrations across South Africa, which attracted more than 20,000 participants.

Sport, particularly cricket, remains another powerful connection between the two countries. Reflecting on recent encounters between the Indian and South African teams, Mr Kumar described the results as a “diplomatically balanced outcome” and expressed his anticipation for South Africa hosting the ODI World Cup next year.

In his address, Dr Jack Bloom paid tribute to India’s extraordinary contribution to civilisation, highlighting its historic achievements in mathematics, medicine, astronomy, engineering, architecture, religion and philosophy. He specifically referred to India’s development of the decimal numeral system and the concept of zero.

He also praised India’s ability to sustain the world’s largest democracy despite its extraordinary diversity, noting the scale and complexity of its elections and the vast number of languages and communities represented across the country.

Dr Bloom highlighted India’s remarkable economic transformation, describing it as a global powerhouse and pointing to its position as the world’s fifth-largest economy, its growing technology sector, manufacturing capabilities, expanding startup ecosystem and rapidly increasing internet connectivity.

He also acknowledged the important contribution of South Africa’s Indian-origin community, estimated at around 1.7 million people, across fields including medicine, law, business and sport.

Dr Bloom recalled India’s historic opposition to apartheid and its support for the international struggle against racial discrimination. He noted the significance of the relationship between India and South Africa following President Nelson Mandela’s engagement with India and the signing of the Red Fort Declaration in 1997, which gave institutional form to a relationship built on longstanding solidarity.

He challenged both countries to look towards the future and consider how their historic friendship could be transformed into even greater practical and mutual benefit.

“India and South Africa have much to offer to each other,” Dr Bloom said, expressing gratitude for the important place India occupies in South Africa’s history.

As the celebration concluded, Mr Kumar expressed confidence that the India-South Africa partnership would continue to grow in depth, breadth and ambition, grounded in shared values, historical experiences and strong people-to-people ties.

The celebration was a fitting tribute to India’s journey and to the enduring friendship between two nations whose histories have become deeply intertwined.

Jai Hind! Long live the friendship between India and South Africa.