Deputy President of South Africa Calls on the President of India

📌 Summary:

• South African Deputy President H.E. Mr Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 2 June 2026 — his first visit to India
• President highlighted India–SA "Strategic Partnership" (1997; SA was India's first such partner) anchored in shared anti-colonial history
• Both countries position themselves as leading voices of the Global South in UN, NAM and G20 forums
• Bilateral trade at ~USD 15.5 billion; both leaders agreed to scale it higher with a conducive policy environment for investments
• President reaffirmed India's commitment to the Africa partnership and early reconvening of the India-Africa Forum Summit with the African Union Commission

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — IR — India's outreach to Africa, Global South leadership and bilateral grouping diplomacy.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• India established its Strategic Partnership with South Africa in 1997 (its first such partner)
• India–SA bilateral trade ≈ USD 15.5 billion
• India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is the apex India–African Union summit-level dialogue mechanism; last held in 2015 (3rd edition)
• South Africa is a fellow BRICS member and current BRICS partner

🔑 Key Term: India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) — the principal India–African Union summit-level dialogue platform for development cooperation, trade, capacity building and political coordination between India and the AU.