 "Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe of Botswana (left) seated alongside President Droupadi Murmu in Gaborone, Botswana, on November 13, 2025. Image: X/@rashtrapatibhvn")
President Droupadi Murmu’s state visit to Botswana in November 2025 marked a defining moment in India-Botswana relations. As the first-ever presidential visit from India, it underscored New Delhi’s deepening engagement with Africa within the framework of the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS). Coming ahead of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026, the visit carried both symbolic and strategic significance, reaffirming India’s commitment to Africa through trade, technology, capacity building, and sustainable development.
A Landmark Visit
President Murmu arrived in Gaborone on November 11, accompanied by Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Railways V Somanna and Members of Parliament P Vasava and D K Aruna. She was warmly received by President Duma Gideon Boko, who described India as the “Mother of Democracy” and an enduring partner in Botswana’s nation-building. This was the first state visit hosted by Botswana under President Boko, reflecting his intent to strengthen ties with India.
The two leaders held comprehensive bilateral talks covering trade, investment, agriculture, renewable energy, health, education, defence, and digital technology. Both reaffirmed shared democratic values and a commitment to inclusive growth. President Murmu emphasised aligning cooperation with Africa’s Agenda 2063 and India’s “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision.
Expanding Trade and Economic Cooperation
India ranks among Botswana’s top trading partners, with bilateral trade of about $500 million annually, dominated by diamonds. India imports rough diamonds from Botswana, processes them in hubs like Surat, and re-exports them worldwide. The leaders agreed to strengthen collaboration in exploration, processing, and value addition, enabling Botswana to gain more from the downstream stages of the diamond value chain. After IAFS-II in 2011, India had offered to help establish a diamond-cutting hub in Botswana, which remains a viable idea to revisit.
Indian companies have a strong presence in Botswana’s pharmaceuticals, ICT, infrastructure, and education sectors. President Murmu invited Botswana’s business community to collaborate in renewable energy, mining, and digital innovation, areas where Indian expertise can be transformative. As a member of SACU, Botswana’s 2.6-million market also offers Indian firms access to the broader Southern African economy.
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View AllA key outcome was the agreement on pharmacopoeia cooperation, which will facilitate access to quality, affordable Indian medicines in Botswana. India also announced the supply of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines at Botswana’s request, reinforcing India’s role as the “pharmacy of the Global South”. The agreement holds particular relevance for Botswana, where nearly 20 per cent of the working-age population is HIV-positive.
While India has extended grants for health and humanitarian needs, Botswana has yet to access Lines of Credit (LoCs), given its upper-middle-income status—with a GDP per capita of about $7,700 in 2024—which makes concessional finance less feasible. Nevertheless, trade and private-sector collaboration continue to drive the partnership.
Capacity Building: The Pillar of Partnership
Institutional capacity building remains a cornerstone of India-Botswana cooperation. India’s education and training programmes have had a tangible impact on Botswana’s human resource development. The ICCR scholarships remain popular—during 2024-25, 54 Botswana students were selected from 500 applicants. Over the past decade, more than 1,300 candidates have benefited from scholarships and training under ITEC, ICCR, IAFS, and agricultural programmes.
Since 2010, 11 researchers from Botswana have received the C V Raman International Fellowship, enabling them to pursue advanced research in India. These exchanges have expanded Botswana’s scientific and professional capacities while fostering mutual understanding.
Indian businesses also contribute to employment and skill development in Botswana. Key investment sectors include banking, infrastructure, and diamond polishing, which align with Botswana’s Vision 2036 goals. Many Indian firms conduct local upskilling initiatives, reinforcing India’s reputation as a partner in progress rather than merely a trading nation.
Addressing the National Assembly of Botswana, President Murmu highlighted that such people-to-people linkages form “the real strength and driver of our enduring ties”. The expanding educational, professional, and cultural engagement between the two nations ensures that the partnership remains people-centric and sustainable.
Project Cheetah: A Symbol of Shared Ecological Heritage
A highlight of the visit was the symbolic handover of cheetahs from Botswana to India under Project Cheetah. The event at Mokolodi Nature Reserve near Gaborone, attended by both presidents, witnessed the release of eight cheetahs before their translocation to India’s Kuno National Park. The cheetahs, from the Ghanzi region, join those earlier reintroduced from Namibia and South Africa.
This collaboration exemplifies a shared ecological commitment, with Botswana supporting India’s effort to restore a species extinct in its natural habitat for over seven decades. President Murmu hailed the initiative as “a reflection of the spirit of partnership between our nations” Beyond conservation, the project symbolises a shared environmental ethos and common priorities in biodiversity and sustainable development.
Democracy, Development and Shared Values
In her address to Botswana’s Parliament, President Murmu described Botswana as a “shining example of democracy, good governance, and effective leadership”. The country’s record of peace, stability, and economic progress resonates with India’s democratic ethos. Botswana’s voluntary participation in the African Peer Review Mechanism (2019) and President Festus Mogae’s Mo Ibrahim Prize (2008) exemplify its governance standards. The country has consistently held free elections, ensuring smooth transitions of power.
President Murmu also welcomed Botswana’s support for UN Security Council reform and India’s advocacy for African Union membership in the G20, achieved under India’s presidency in 2023. These shared democratic and multilateral priorities strengthen their cooperation within the Global South framework.
A Partnership Rooted in People
The Indian community of about 10,000 in Botswana serves as a living bridge between the two nations. Engaged in business, healthcare, and education, they contribute to Botswana’s economy and embody the enduring human dimension of bilateral ties. In her interaction with them, President Murmu commended their role as “living ambassadors of India”.
Cultural exchanges and diaspora participation also reinforce India’s soft power in Africa, complementing its development cooperation and business presence.
Looking Ahead
President Murmu’s visit to Botswana thus carries both strategic depth and emotional resonance. It consolidates a partnership rooted in shared democratic values, human development, and mutual respect. By expanding cooperation in trade, healthcare, education, and conservation, the visit has set a new benchmark in India–Botswana relations.
As both countries prepare to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties in 2026, their collaboration is poised to evolve into a model of South-South partnership—one that combines India’s developmental experience and Botswana’s governance excellence. Together, they reaffirm the vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future for their peoples and the wider Global South.
President Murmu’s engagements in Gaborone not only celebrated a friendship built on trust but also charted a roadmap for the next phase of cooperation—anchored in innovation, inclusivity, and shared aspirations.
(The writer is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Asean, and the African Union, and the author of ‘The Mango Flavour: India & Asean After 10 Years of the AEP’. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Firstpost.)