Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attends swearing-in ceremony of Nigerian President

Business-to-Business meetings were held with Nigerian companies for enhancing cooperation, the statement said.Singh also had a brief meeting with the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative of Bangladesh Md Tazul Islam, who was also in Abuja to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday represented India at the swearing-in ceremony of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Tinubu, 71, was sworn in as Nigeria's president in Abuja, the capital city, in the presence of thousands of Nigerians and several heads of government. He succeeded Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu, a former governor of the country's commercial capital, Lagos, was declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election on March 1. India was among the select non-African nations that were represented in the 'swearing-in ceremony' at the Ministerial level, reflecting the high priority and strength of our bilateral relations with Nigeria, the Defence Ministry in New Delhi said in a statement. Singh arrived here on Sunday on a three-day visit, marking the first-ever visit of an Indian defence minister to the African country.

In addition to senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, Singh's delegation to Nigeria included top executives of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). These executives held a series of meetings with the Nigerian military and government representatives for identifying their requirements which can be fulfilled by the Indian Defence companies. Business-to-Business meetings were held with Nigerian companies for enhancing cooperation, the statement said.

Singh also had a brief meeting with the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative of Bangladesh Md Tazul Islam, who was also in Abuja to attend the swearing-in ceremony. ''Wonderful interaction with the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative of Bangladesh, Mr Md Tazul Islam in Abuja,'' Singh tweeted after the meeting.

The meeting was a testimony of the bonhomie between India and Bangladesh. The two leaders expressed the commitment of their respective governments towards further expanding and strengthening the bilateral ties, the statement said. During the visit, Singh will also address an estimated 50,000-strong Indian diaspora in Nigeria, strengthening the shared cultural ties between the two countries.

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