Jaishankar meets South Africa's Deputy President Mashatile to deepen bilateral ties
Synopsis
India and South Africa are pushing their decades-old partnership into new territory. EAM Jaishankar's talks with Deputy President Mashatile in New Delhi went beyond diplomatic ritual — locking in cooperation on MSMEs, digital infrastructure, and multilateral coordination. With a full ministerial delegation in tow and a Strategic Partnership declaration on the table, this visit is a signal that both countries want economic substance to match their Global South solidarity.
Key Takeaways
Jaishankar met South African Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile in New Delhi on 2 June 2025 .
Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, investments, MSMEs, digital, and infrastructure domains.
Deputy President Mashatile's six-day working visit (29 May – 3 June) included a full ministerial delegation.
A dedicated MSME meeting was held between MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and South African Minister Stella Tembisa Ndabeni .
Both nations reaffirmed their Declaration and Strategic Partnership , with a shared focus on poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
India and South Africa committed to closer coordination in international forums , building on their shared BRICS membership.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday, 2 June held talks with South African Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile in New Delhi, with both sides committing to expand cooperation across trade, investment, digital infrastructure, and MSMEs. The meeting underscores the deepening strategic partnership between India and South Africa, two influential Global South voices and longstanding BRICS partners.
Key Developments from the Meeting
Jaishankar, in a post on X, said he appreciated Mashatile's 'strong commitment to deepening our longstanding partnership' and confirmed discussions on 'opportunities in trade, investments, MSMEs, digital and infrastructure domains.' Both leaders also agreed that India and South Africa 'must work closely in international forums.'
Mashatile, responding on social media, affirmed that both sides agreed to 'expend its relation to other facets of relationships, especially economic relations.' He further stated that both nations reaffirmed their commitment to fulfilling the objectives of a bilateral Declaration and Strategic Partnership, with a shared focus on addressing poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
The Visit: Scope and Delegation
Deputy President Mashatile arrived in New Delhi on 29 May for a six-day working visit concluding on 3 June. He is accompanied by several senior government ministers, reflecting the breadth of the agenda — covering bilateral trade, investment, digital innovation, and skills development.
MSME Cooperation in Focus
A dedicated meeting on the MSME sector was held at the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, led on the Indian side by MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. The South African delegation was led by Minister of Small Business Development Stella Tembisa Ndabeni.
According to an official statement, both sides explored potential areas of cooperation including access to finance, enterprise formalisation, digitalisation, entrepreneurship, and skilling. The MSME sector was recognised as vital to economic growth, employment generation, and inclusive development in both countries.
Broader Strategic Context
This comes amid a period of active South-South diplomacy, with both nations leveraging their BRICS membership and G20 experience to coordinate on multilateral issues. Notably, this is one of the highest-level bilateral engagements between the two countries in recent years. India and South Africa share a relationship rooted in historical solidarity — from the anti-apartheid movement to contemporary cooperation on climate finance and digital public infrastructure. The visit signals a deliberate push to translate that goodwill into concrete economic outcomes.
With sectoral working groups now expected to follow up on the commitments made, both governments appear intent on moving beyond declarations toward measurable partnership deliverables.
Point of View
Not just multilateral declarations. The focus on enterprise formalisation and digital access is also a quiet export of India's own development model. Whether the follow-through matches the ambition will depend on whether joint working groups are constituted and timelines set — something past India-Africa engagements have often deferred.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did EAM Jaishankar and South African Deputy President Mashatile discuss?
They discussed expanding cooperation across trade, investments, MSMEs, digital infrastructure, and skills development, and agreed to strengthen coordination in international forums. Both leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the India-South Africa Declaration and Strategic Partnership.
When did South African Deputy President Mashatile visit India?
Mashatile arrived in New Delhi on 29 May 2025 for a six-day working visit, concluding on 3 June 2025. He was accompanied by several senior South African government ministers.
What was agreed on MSME cooperation between India and South Africa?
Both sides agreed to explore cooperation in access to finance, enterprise formalisation, digitalisation, entrepreneurship, and skilling. The meeting was led by India's MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and South Africa's Minister of Small Business Development Stella Tembisa Ndabeni.
Why does the India-South Africa partnership matter?
India and South Africa are both influential Global South voices and BRICS members with a shared history rooted in the anti-apartheid era. The partnership is seen as a vehicle for coordinating on multilateral issues including climate finance, digital public infrastructure, and trade reform.
What did Deputy President Mashatile say after the meeting?
Mashatile said both countries agreed to expand their relationship to other facets, especially economic relations, and expressed commitment to fulfilling the objectives of the bilateral Declaration and Strategic Partnership, with a focus on mutual prosperity and addressing poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
