African Leaders Praise India's Growth Under PM Modi
African business leaders at the BRICS summit laud India's rapid growth under PM Modi, saying Viksit Bharat 2047 could be achieved ahead of schedule.
Key Highlights:
- African business leaders at the 18th BRICS Summit praised India's economic growth under PM Modi's leadership.
- Idehai Frederick of Nigeria's DICAN said India is the second-largest employer after the Nigerian government.
- Frederick predicted India could achieve its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision ahead of target.
- Daniel Tiruneh of Ethiopia's ABN highlighted growing India-Ethiopia cooperation in trade, investment and education.
- Security for the summit includes around 15,000 police personnel and 200 paramilitary companies deployed across New Delhi.
African Business Voices Weigh In on India's Trajectory
As India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, African business leaders attending the event have offered a strikingly optimistic assessment of the country's economic trajectory under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting that India could reach its 'Viksit Bharat 2047' development vision well ahead of its stated timeline.
Nigeria's Perspective on Deepening Ties
Speaking to IANS, Idehai Frederick, Chairman of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN), pointed to the decades-long friendly relationship between India and Nigeria, underpinned by substantial economic and trade linkages. Frederick offered a striking data point to illustrate India's economic footprint in Nigeria, noting that India is the second-largest employer of workers in the country after the Nigerian government itself. He said he expected bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two nations to expand further in the coming years.
Why This Assessment Carries Weight
Frederick's comments are notable not simply as diplomatic praise, but because they come from someone positioned to observe India's on-the-ground economic presence in Nigeria through the lens of employment and trade rather than headline government-to-government statements. His view that India could achieve Viksit Bharat 2047 ahead of schedule reflects confidence rooted in what he described as visible evidence across India's development policies, international partnerships and its current leadership role within BRICS.
