Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by South African President Jacob Zuma in the capital, Pretoria, on Friday on the latest stop of a four-nation Africa tour to raise his country’s economic profile on the continent.
Modi inspected a guard of honor in front of the Union Buildings, which house government offices, before holding talks with Zuma. Later Modi is scheduled to meet with members of South Africa’s community of Indian origin, which numbers more than 1 million people.
South Africa, which lists India as its sixth-largest trade partner, wants to strengthen those ties, according to Zuma’s office.
On Saturday, Modi is expected to take a train journey to commemorate Indian independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi. Gandhi’s experience with racism while living and traveling in South Africa as a young man shaped his decision to resist racial segregation with nonviolent protest.
Modi has already visited Mozambique and will travel to Tanzania and Kenya.
