 India and Africa are bonded together by people-to-people, civilizational and cultural contacts that go back many centuries. Africa is also the land of awakening for the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Since her independence, leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have been ardent champions of the cause of Indo-African cooperation and friendship. Rajiv Gandhi was instrumental in launching the Africa Fund, an acronym for action for resisting racism, invasion, colonialism and apartheid. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh remains equally committed to friendship with Africa. The India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi on the 8th and 9th of April in 2008 unveiled a new architecture for engagement between India and Africa in the 21st century, with India becoming a close partner in Africa's resurgence. India's friendship and solidarity with Africa is very well documented. It's time-tested. It's a relationship which is based on trust, mutual respect and the spirit of friendship. This is the second forum. The first one, as you very well know, was held here in New Delhi. And we're very happy that AU and the government of India has chosen Addis Ababa as a venue. And I'm hoping that the people who participate in this forum will enjoy the Ethiopian hospitality. The recent CII conclave attracted a number of African leaders who interacted with the captains of the Indian industry in a bid to attract investments to Africa. I'm thinking of putting up a plant, a mineral water plant in Malawi, which is something that Pop-Tabas have been talking to people just looking at the kind of machinery that India is currently producing. Bilateral trade between India and Africa has increased from US$1 billion in 2001 to US$40 billion now. India's investments in Africa are estimated to be over US$50 billion. There are a lot of activities run by private sector. The private sector is concentrated mainly in the fields of exploration of natural resources. We're hoping that the private sector will be able to extend these activities in the other fields. The signals are very, very positive. We need to engage businesses and corporations that can add value to the resources we produce up there, including the area of skills development. The recent waves of FDI from India to Africa are largely driven by big Indian companies like Bharti Enterprises, SR, Aditya Berla Group, Tata's and Grand Bagsie. As one of the world's fastest growing economies with a GDP that has crossed a trillion US dollars, India seeks to forge closer economic partnership with its friends in Africa. We had the opportunity to discuss with a lot of Indian companies on diverse fields like roads project, energy project, IT project and so on. Indian companies like Kirloskar are focusing on saving water and increasing productivity. It's not only Kirloskar brothers that does this. There are many other well-known Indian companies, manufacturers who are making a difference in Africa. Well, Airtel has made a significant entry into Africa. India's largest ever investment into the whole African continent is by Bharti Airtel. We have invested over 10 billion dollars in telecom services in 16 sub-Saharan African countries. The significant countries where we are present today are Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda and of course Congo. This is a starting point for our telecom services and we are very very confident that over a period of time we will expand into other African countries. This partnership is sustainable, dynamic, constantly evolving and moving forward. Multifarious investments are made in projects like railways in Angola, an IT center in Ghana, buses in Congo, power projects in Sudan and Gambia, a major irrigation project in Senegal, floriculture and sugarcane production in Ethiopia, pharmaceuticals and telecommunication in South Africa and much else. Indian companies are now amongst the largest investors in countries, ranging from Mauritius and South Africa to Ethiopia, Sudan and Ghana. Our mission in India was to start in 1964 and today we have many projects from Indian governments financing by LOC. The first steps started in 2005, we received 33 million dollars for one cement plant, 224 buses from Tata and 115 buses from Ashok Lailand. The dynamism in the Africa-India relations was at its peak recently when India played host to high level dignitaries from Africa. There has been a steady flow of leaders from Africa to India. In 2010 alone, there have been visits of several African leaders like South African President Jacob Zuma, Seychelles President James Michael and Ghana President John Evans Atta Mills, besides the Botswana Vice President, the Mozambique President, the Kenyan President and the Ethiopian Prime Minister also visited India. An excellent example of the close bonding between India and Africa is illustrated by the Malavi President Binguva Mutharika, for whom India is a home away from his home. Malavi President Mutharika studied in the Sriram College of Commerce in Delhi in the early 1960s. During his recent visit to India, he had the occasion to look back at his student days and join the get-together with SRCC alumni and was also conferred an honorary doctorate. Small as we are, the country offers great opportunities that need to be explored. And I think apart from simply trade, I want the business community to start looking at new ways of developing industries, science and technology and taking advantage of trade. At the Foreign Service Institute, foreign diplomats are imparted training in foreign policy and culture. At the end of the visit, they not only learn a lot about India, but also provide rare glimpses into the rich and varied culture of Africa that casts an enduring spell. Likewise, the ICCR organises cultural shows by the African students, which helps the youth to understand each other in a better way. The African fashion shows showcase the contemporary nature of the special bonding between India and Africa. Nigeria really appreciate about India. The address, you find out that where I came from, we use the wrappers. The Indian siree is not being tied where we tie yours, but we tie it in a different way. That's in our own unique way. We brought the Indian material into Nigerian culture. You see me, I'm wearing a siree, this is my second culture. I mean, we are living in a global village, so we should live as one. History, politics, economics, finance, technology, education and culture. The threats that bind Africa and India are endless. Repelled by a strong political will on both sides, the bonds are growing stronger. The relationship is acquiring new and fresh dimensions. The goal is common, to light up the lives of the 2 billion people that inhabit our lands.