Abuja, Nov 17 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday left for Brazil to attend the G20 Summit after wrapping up his first-ever visit to Nigeria, where he held bilateral talks with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and interacted with the Indian community.
Modi arrived in the Nigerian capital early Sunday on the first trip to the West African country by an Indian prime minister after a gap of 17 years.
After concluding his “productive” visit, Modi posted on X, “Thank you Nigeria for a productive visit, which will add strength and vigour to India-Nigeria friendship.” “PM @narendramodi concludes a productive visit in Abuja, Nigeria,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a post on X.
During his visit, he was conferred with Nigeria’s national award, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), making him the second foreign dignitary to receive the distinction.
This was the 17th international award conferred on Modi by a country.
Queen Elizabeth is the only foreign dignitary who was awarded GCON in 1969.
Modi held bilateral talks with President Tinubu and said that India accords high priority to its strategic partnership with Nigeria and it will work towards boosting ties in a range of areas, including defence, energy and trade.
Modi also described the around 60,000-strong Indian expatriate community as a key pillar of India-Nigeria relations and thanked Tinubu for ensuring their welfare.
The prime minister also announced that India is sending 20 tonnes of relief supplies for Nigerian people hit by last month’s floods.
The India-Nigeria ties were elevated to the status of a “strategic partnership’ during then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the African nation in October 2007.
Modi is in Nigeria as part of a three-nation tour. His last destination will be Guyana.
Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden will be among the leaders to attend the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 18-19.
India is part of the G20 Troika along with Brazil and South Africa. PTI AMS ZH AMS
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