South Africa has urged India to expedite negotiations on the long-pending India–Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement, with Deputy President Paul Mashatile expressing his country’s keen interest in finalising the pact at the earliest during his ongoing visit to India.
Mashatile, who is leading a high-level delegation comprising ministers and deputy ministers from key portfolios including international relations, small business development, science and digital technologies, made the remarks during a recent interaction hosted by Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney in New Delhi. The event was attended by senior officials from India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Commerce and Industry, along with representatives of industry bodies FICCI and CII.
Highlighting South Africa’s commitment to strengthening economic engagement with India, Mashatile said the proposed India-SACU Free Trade Agreement would provide a significant boost to trade and investment ties between the two regions. He also acknowledged India’s support for South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement and underscored the strong strategic and people-to-people relations shared by the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, Sahney expressed confidence that the trade agreement would act as a catalyst for deeper economic cooperation between India and SACU member nations, enhancing trade flows, investment opportunities and collaboration with the African continent.
He also underlined the importance of the upcoming BRICS Summit, which India is set to host later this year, and stressed the growing role of Global South cooperation in promoting economic growth, resilient supply chains, technology partnerships and greater intra-BRICS trade.
