President Droupadi Murmu’s historic visit to Angola marks a milestone in India’s expanding strategic engagement across Africa, underscoring New Delhi’s vision of partnership built on energy security, defence cooperation, sustainable growth, and shared economic progress. The four-day state visit — the first-ever by an Indian President to Angola — coincides with Angola’s 50th independence anniversary and comes ahead of the 40th anniversary of India–Angola diplomatic relations in 2025.
During her discussions with Angolan President João Lourenço, President Murmu reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening cooperation across priority sectors, notably energy, critical minerals, agriculture, technology, defence, and skills development.
Angola remains a vital supplier of crude oil to India, contributing significantly to India’s energy security. President Murmu emphasised India’s desire to negotiate a long-term energy purchase agreement and encouraged Indian investment in oil exploration and refinery modernisation projects in Angola. The talks also addressed collaboration in critical mineral exploration, particularly those essential for renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles, aligning with India’s clean energy transition goals. Given Angola’s position as one of the world’s top diamond producers, the two nations identified opportunities for cooperation in diamond processing and value addition, combining Angola’s resource base with India’s global expertise in diamond cutting and polishing.
Several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the visit, covering cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture, and marine resources. The leaders also reviewed opportunities for expanding collaboration in agriculture, health care, technology transfer, infrastructure development, and education. President Murmu welcomed Angola’s decision to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) and the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), both initiatives spearheaded by India, reinforcing the shared focus on biodiversity conservation and sustainable energy.
Defence engagement was a central feature of the dialogue. India is finalising a $200 million Line of Credit to assist Angola in enhancing its defence capacity, complementing New Delhi’s broader goal of supporting African partners in security and capacity-building. India has also provided military training programmes for African nations, including Angola, and expressed readiness to expand joint training and technology-sharing initiatives.
Highlighting India’s advancements in modern rail technology, President Murmu cited the Vande Bharat Express as a model for cooperation in Angola’s rail infrastructure and transport modernisation. Both nations agreed on the importance of skill-building programmes for youth, recognising the demographic potential of their young and dynamic populations.
President Murmu’s visit reflects India’s evolving foreign policy in Africa — one focused not only on trade but also on sustainable development, technological empowerment, and equitable growth. By fostering ties in energy, minerals, defence, and human capital, the India–Angola partnership is poised to contribute to regional stability and economic transformation. The visit establishes new momentum in India–Africa relations, positioning India as a trusted development partner and reinforcing its long-term strategic footprint on the African continent.
