Windhoek [Namibia], July 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday received a standing ovation and non-stop applause from lawmakers after his address at the Parliament of Namibia. This marked PM Modi's 17th address in a foreign nation's Parliament, matching the combined total of all Congress Prime Ministers before him.

During his five-nation visit, PM Modi addressed parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Namibia.

Congress Prime Ministers together - Manmohan Singh (7), Indira Gandhi (4), Jawaharlal Nehru (3), Rajiv Gandhi (2), and PV Narasimha Rao (1) - delivered 17 speeches in total.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during his tenure as PM, addressed the parliaments of other countries twice, while Morarji Desai had once addressed the parliament of another nation.

PM Modi addressed the Parliaments of Australia, Fiji, Bhutan and Nepal. He delivered remarks at the Parliament of Mauritius, Mongolia, Afghanistan, the UK and Sri Lanka in 2015. PM Modi addressed the joint session of the US Congress in 2016 and again in 2023.

He addressed the Parliament of Uganda in 2018. This was followed by the address to the Maldives Parliament in 2019. He addressed the Parliament of Guyana in 2019. This year, PM Modi addressed the Parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago and Namibia.

In a post on X, the BJP stated that PM Modi has delivered 17 speeches to foreign Parliaments, matching the combined total of Congress PMs over several decades.

'With his recent addresses in the Parliaments of Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Namibia, PM Modi has now delivered 17 speeches to foreign Parliaments--matching the combined total of all Congress Prime Ministers over several decades. He has achieved in just over a decade what took others generations, reaffirming his stature as one of India's most globally respected leaders,' the BJP posted on X.

https://x.com/BJP4India/status/1942986348933321107

During his address to the Joint Session of the Namibian Parliament, PM Modi stated that the ties between India and Africa are based on respect, equality and mutual benefit. He stated that India seeks to cooperate with Africa and not to compete.

PM Modi noted that India's development partnership in Africa is worth more than 12 billion dollars. He expressed India's support for Africa's Agenda 2063 Industrialisation and readiness to expand cooperation in defence and security.

PM Modi said, 'In 2018, I had laid out ten principles of our engagement with Africa. Today, I reaffirm India's full commitment to them. They are based on respect, equality, and mutual benefit. We seek not to compete, but to cooperate. Our goal is to build together. Not to take, but to grow together. Our development partnership in Africa is worth over 12 billion dollars. But its real value is in shared growth and shared purpose. We continue to build local skills, create local jobs, and support local innovation.'

'We believe that Africa must not be just a source of raw materials. Africa must lead in value creation and sustainable growth. That is why we fully support Africa's Agenda 2063 for industrialisation. We are ready to expand our cooperation in Defence and Security. India values Africa's role in world affairs. We championed Africa's voice during our G20 presidency. And we proudly welcomed the African Union as a permanent member of the G20,' he added.

PM Modi recalled how India supported Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing vaccines and medicines. He mentioned that India's 'Aarogya Maitri' initiative supports Africa with hospitals, equipment, medicines and training.

PM Modi concluded his five-nation visit and departed for New Delhi on Wednesday, marking the end of a significant diplomatic journey that took him to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and finally Namibia. (ANI)