Venkaiah Naidu visits Botswana; meets Indian community

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday met CEOs of Indian companies in Botswana and visited the world's largest rough diamond sorting and valuing operation.

The Diamond Trading Company (DTC) Botswana is a 50-50 joint venture partnership between the government of Botswana and the De Beers Group. It sorts and values the Debswana mining company's rough diamond production. It is the second largest diamond trading company in the world.

The company has made an invaluable contribution to the country's economy and employment creation, Naidu said.

Earlier, addressing a roundtable of India and Botswana CEOs, Naidu said he was happy to know that companies operating in Botswana have very few problems.

He said he will take up the issues raised by them with the president of Botswana when he meets him later on Friday, before leaving for Zimbabwe on the second leg of his three-nation Africa visit, which also includes Malawi.

"We have a whole new set of opportunities that are opening up in India. There can't be a better time than now to invest in India. I invite you all to utilise this and invest in your motherland," he said.

"I would urge you to look at the transformation that India is undergoing. The results from the World Bank's 'Doing Business 2019' report published recently have a powerful message that all Indians should feel very happy about," he said.

"You are a living bridge connecting our two countries. The transformation in the India-Botswana relationship was largely led by the Indian community and the private sector, the two governments have only tried to keep the pace, reflecting your aspiration," he said.

Naidu said Indian pharmaceutical companies can come to Botswana and explore investment opportunities in the southern African country.

He said he has spoken to Botswana's vice president to involve RITES in the expansion of the railway network in that country.

RITES Limited is an engineering consultancy company, specialising in the field of transport infrastructure. Established in 1974 by the Indian government, the company's initial charter was to provide consultancy services in rail transport management to operators in India and abroad.