New Delhi [India], June 2 (ANI): Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma met visiting South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile in the national capital on Monday, highlighting the 'historic and special relations' between India and South Africa and the shared legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

In a post on X, Sharma said it was a 'pleasure and privilege' to meet Mashatile and noted that the South African leader is currently on a multi-day official visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, including cooperation in trade, investment, and global forums such as BRICS.

https://x.com/AnandSharmaINC/status/2061682155428934013

'It was a pleasure and privilege to meet visiting South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile in New Delhi on Monday and revisit the cherished memories of the heroic struggle against apartheid. Paul Mashatile is also the Deputy President of the ANC,' he said.

He also underlined the importance of the meeting, referring to the shared inspiration drawn from 'our shared heroes , Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela,' and said both sides discussed the role of India and South Africa in shaping the future of the Global South.

'We reflected on the special and historic relations between India & South Africa, and the inspiration we both draw from our shared heroes- Mahatma Gandhi & Nelson Mandela. We discussed the role of our nations in shaping the future of the Global South and BRICS countries,' he added.

Earlier, on Sunday, Paul Mashatile, along with South Africa's Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abrahams, visited Dilli Haat in the national capital as part of their ongoing visit to India from May 29 to June 3.

Mashatile's visit, along with his delegation at the open-air market, food plaza, and craft bazaar, was aimed at exploring the cultural and entrepreneurial landscape of India.

In a post on X, Mashatile said that he visited Dilli Haat to explore India's rich cultural heritage.'As part of exploring the cultural heritage of India this morning, we visited Dilli Haat in New Delhi. Dilli Haat has become India's popular tourist destination where visitors enjoy live music, dance performances, and art exhibitions representing various states of India,' the post read.

In a video shared along with the post, he added that the visit was aimed at understanding how India supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs), encourages innovation in the digital economy, and manages infrastructure. (ANI)