MEA Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan met Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, conveying greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India and Somalia also signed an MoU to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, education, healthcare and defence.
India’s diplomatic engagement with Somalia received a significant boost as Secretary (Consular, Passport and Visa, and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sripriya Ranganathan, called on Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Ranganathan met the Somali President during her visit to the African nation and discussed ways to further strengthen the longstanding relationship between India and Somalia.
During the meeting, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud fondly recalled his association with India and his visit to the country in 2015. He also shared his vision for expanding the India-Somalia partnership and strengthening cooperation across areas of mutual interest.
The MEA stated that Ranganathan reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation and exploring new opportunities for engagement between the two countries.
As part of the diplomatic visit, India and Somalia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on consultations between their respective foreign ministries. The agreement was signed during Ranganathan’s meeting with Somalia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Hassan Mohamed Ali.
During the discussions, both sides reviewed the broad scope of bilateral cooperation, with particular emphasis on trade, medical cooperation, education and capacity-building. They also exchanged views on recent geopolitical developments in the region.
Highlighting the importance of the agreement, the MEA said the MoU would establish a structured mechanism for regular consultations between the two foreign ministries. The mechanism is expected to facilitate periodic reviews of bilateral relations and help identify opportunities for deeper cooperation.
In another important engagement, Ranganathan called on Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi to discuss strengthening defence ties between the two nations.
The discussions focused on maritime security, counter-terrorism and capacity-building, along with an exchange of perspectives on the evolving regional security environment. The engagement highlighted the importance both countries attach to cooperation in addressing shared security challenges.
According to the High Commission of India in Kenya, Ranganathan’s visit represents the first high-level bilateral visit from India to Somalia in recent years. The visit is expected to build upon the longstanding and friendly relations between the two countries.
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India and Somalia have maintained diplomatic relations based on historical connections and mutual interests. The latest engagements reflect New Delhi’s continued efforts to strengthen partnerships with African countries through diplomatic dialogue, economic cooperation, development assistance and security collaboration.
The signing of the foreign ministry consultations agreement is expected to provide a regular platform for discussions on bilateral and regional matters.
Ranganathan’s meetings with Somalia’s top leadership, foreign ministry officials and defence minister underline India’s commitment to expanding its diplomatic engagement with Somalia and strengthening cooperation across several strategic sectors.
