Jaishankar meets Botswana’s Foreign Minister

According to a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), “both ministers reviewed the current state of bilateral relations between the two countries and explored means to further strengthen these relations in areas such as health, trade and investment, defence, economic cooperation, training and capacity building, among others. Regional and international issues of mutual concern, including cooperation in multilateral fora, such as the UN were also discussed. It was also decided to reinvigorate the existing institutional mechanisms and conduct these meetings at the earliest mutually convenient dates, including the meeting of the ministerial Joint Commission.”

“India and Botswana enjoy cordial bilateral relations underpinned by strong people to people ties. The Indian diaspora in Botswana is estimated to be over 6,000. Bilateral trade between India and Botswana is about US$ 806 million”, according to the press statement.

Diplomatic relations between both countries were established in 1966. India established its mission in Botswana in 1987 while Botswana opened its mission in New Delhi in 2006.

There has been a long history of high-level political relations and interactions between both countries. According to the Indian mission in Gaborone, “a few examples of high-level exchanges include visit by Vice President HE Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu from 31 October to 02 November 2018 and visit by the then Vice President HE Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi in October 2015 to attend the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit.”