Moffat Mungazi
Mukudzei Chingwere
Herald Reporter
The Indian Government has expressed willingness to collaborate and share its development path with Zimbabwe.
This was said by the Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ambassador Bramha Kumar who spoke to journalists after delivering a public lecture at the Zimbabwe National Defence University (ZNDU) yesterday.
During the lecture he spoke about lessons from India’s industrialisation and the trajectory they took to develop their industries.
India boasts of a robust economy, which ranks as the fifth-largest in the world, with a GDP of approximately US$3 trillion.Ambassador Kumar said Zimbabwe could greatly benefit from India’s experience in industrialisation, particularly through enhanced private-sector participation.
“We have many frameworks to cooperate with Zimbabwe,” said Ambassador Kumar.
“We encourage the Indian private sector to come and participate in Zimbabwe’s industrialisation and so far, results are very good and encouraging.”
Ambassador Kumar noted the encouraging results from existing partnerships, citing Indian private companies such as Varun Beverages, Raha, ZimGold, and Surface Wilmar, which are operating in the country.
Some Indian private companies have established joint ventures in Zimbabwe.
“There are some private companies like Varun beverages, Raha, ZimGold, Surface Wilmar, and Indian joint ventures, recently one mining company indicated that it is interested in investing in Zimbabwe and met with His Excellency President Mnangagwa.
“So, we encourage investment in Zimbabwe in manufacturing and also in mining. Jindal Power Group is also coming to invest in the energy sector. Our relations should translate into economic relations, boosting investment from India and enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries,” said Ambassador Kumar.
He pointed to India’s unique approach to industrialisation, where domestic reliance has been pivotal to its success, contrasting it with countries that are heavily reliant on imports.
The Ambassador’s remarks come at a time when Zimbabwe seeks to bolster its industrial base and attract foreign investment. Ambassador Kumar added that the relationship between India and Zimbabwe should evolve into robust economic ties, boosting investment and enhancing bilateral trade.
Online Reporter