The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind addressed the students, faculty and academic community of the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar before concluding his state visit to Mauritius and Madagascar.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said the Madagascar-India relationship draws from a history of shared experiences. “The distance between Madagascar and India may seem wide, but in many senses we are neighbours,” the President said, “the waters of the Indian Ocean wash both our shores. The hopes and opportunities, concerns and challenges of this mighty ocean make us obvious partners. As per the International Seabed Authority, the undersea exploration zones of our countries are closest to each other.”
Our common goal of a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable world, President Kovind said, has led to our countries supporting each other in bilateral and multilateral forums.
"Madagascar was a distinguished participant at the first summit of the recent International Solar Alliance in New Delhi. As an island nation, Madagascar understands better than most the risks of climate change and the need to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable and particularly solar energy. As an ISA member state Madagascar will be accessing a solar grant pilot project to be commissioned by India’s National Institute of Solar Energy", he added.
