DEPUTY PRESIDENT MASHATILE’S KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE SA-INDIA TECHNOLOGY TRADE AND INVESTMENT ROUNDTABLE

“It is a privilege to join you at this South Africa–India Technology, Trade and Investment Collaboration. I am joined by ministers, deputy minister and senior officials from our government and state agencies.

Since our arrival yesterday, we have been received with great warmth. Truly, the people of India embody the timeless saying, “Atithi Devo Bhavah — the guest is equivalent to God,” for your hospitality and generosity are unmatched. This gesture reflects the spirit of fraternity that binds our nations, and it strengthens our resolve to walk together in partnership and mutual respect.

South Africa and India share a historical and cultural relationship, unified by their commitment to non-alignment and the development of the Global South through South-South partnerships. Both nations are active in multilateral organizations such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), BRICS, IBSA, and IORA, reflecting their dedication to these principles and democratic values.

The story of India and South Africa is one of moral courage, scientific discovery, and economic partnership. It is a relationship that began with the struggles of Gandhi, was carried forward by Mandela, and today finds expression in shared innovation and prosperity.

The first pillar of our bond is the Gandhi–Mandela legacy, rooted in Mohandas Gandhi’s evolution into Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa, where he pioneered non-violent resistance. Nelson Mandela later affirmed India’s solidarity, highlighting that “the soul of India lies in South Africa.” India actively opposed apartheid from 1946, cutting trade ties and supporting the African National Congress. Following South Africa’s freedom, India was quick to re-establish relations, exemplified by the Red Fort Declaration of 1997, underscoring the moral foundation of our friendship.

The second pillar of our partnership is in science and technology, established by a 1995 agreement. This collaboration has included fields such as astronomy, agriculture, health sciences, and indigenous knowledge.

A significant project is the Square Kilometre Array, the world’s largest radio telescope, led by South Africa with India as a key partner. This endeavor symbolizes the progress of two nations, transforming past struggles into a joint aspiration for discovery, embodying the spirits of Gandhi and Mandela.

The third pillar is our expanding economic partnership, with trade between the nations increasing from $4 billion in 2005 to nearly $20billion in 2024, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

India consistently ranks as one of South Africa’s top overall trading partners, as well as South Africa’s largest export market on the Asian continent.Initiatives like the India–South Africa CEOs Forum and the Joint Ministerial Commission are fostering opportunities for hMSMEs and entrepreneurs.

This growth showcases solidarity and shared prosperity, reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to collaborate on significant development agendas.

As we approach the future, we face significant challenges such as climate change and resource depletion, highlighting the limits of our planet. Additionally, rapid technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence, are transforming economies and governance. There is also concern about the rise of unipolar forces that may prioritize their self-interest over international law and the needs of smaller nations.

Our collective task is therefore to transform these shared challenges into opportunities, to turn climate action into renewal, technology into empowerment, and global governance into a voice for all. This is the call of our time to face the limits of our planet with courage, to harness the power of innovation with wisdom, and to defend the dignity of nations with unity.

Recent engagements between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including during South Africa’s G20 Presidency, have reaffirmed our shared commitment to unity, deeper cooperation in technology, skills, infrastructure and critical minerals. Through BRICS, IBSA and the G20, our two countries continue to champion a more inclusive global economic order.

The question before us today is therefore not whether South Africa and India should work together. The question is how decisively we move from dialogue to delivery. I wish to outline a focused collaboration agenda built around four strategic priorities, supported by three concrete flagship outcomes.

First: Industrial and SMME CoCreation. Small, medium and micro enterprises are central to inclusive growth. India’s globally competitive MSME ecosystem and South Africa’s industrial and entrepreneurial base offer powerful complementarities.

We will therefore work with GTTCI, the DTIC and SEDA to establish an SA–India SMME Industrial Linkage Programme, focused on supplychain integration, coproduction and joint market access.This partnership will prioritise sectors where our strengths are complementary, agroprocessing, mining beneficiation, renewable energy components, pharmaceuticals and digital services and will move beyond trade facilitation toward true industrial cooperation.

Critically, this collaboration must be digital by design. India’s experience in technologyenabled MSMEs, including AI and automation, offers valuable lessons as South Africa strengthens the competitiveness of its own small business sector.

Second: Technology Joint Ventures and Digital Infrastructure. South Africa is Africa’s leading digital gateway. India is one of the world’s foremost technology ecosystems. Together, we must shift from technology transfer to technology cocreation. We see immediate opportunity in fintech and digital payments, health technology and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and agricultural technology, including precision farming and coldchain logistics.

South Africa welcomes Indian investment into data centres, cloud infrastructure and fibre connectivity, strengthening Africa’s digital economy and enabling scale under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Artificial intelligence will shape competitiveness across mining, logistics, retail and public administration. South Africa and India must be active architects of this transformation, while deepening cooperation on AI ethics, governance and public trust.

Third: Investment for Beneficiation and Industrial Capacity. Trade and investment today are measured not only by volumes, but by their contribution to productive capacity and jobs. India already has a strong investment footprint in South Africa. We now seek to deepen this through beneficiation-led and manufacturing focused investment, particularly in critical minerals such as platinumgroup metals, manganese and vanadium, as well as pharmaceuticals and renewable energy technologies.

South Africa’s Special Economic Zones fromCoega and East London to Richards Bay and Dube TradePort provide globally competitive platforms for exportoriented production. Through InvestSA and our One Stop Shop, government stands ready to support investors seeking longterm, valueadding partnerships.

We invite GTTCI and Indian investors to engage actively in South Africa’s upcoming Investment Conferences as we build a stronger bilateral pipeline.

Fourth: Skills, Talent and Innovation Ecosystems. Industrialisation cannot succeed without people.India’s strength in higher education, technical training and industrial skilling aligns closely with South Africa’s priority to expand capability in software engineering, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and green technologies.

We will therefore pursue an SA–India Skills and Innovation Exchange, anchored in university partnerships, youth technology programmes and vocational training aligned to industry demand.

At the same time, we see strong potential to connect our innovation hubs, from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Bengaluru and Hyderabad creating an Africa–Asia Innovation Bridge that supports startups, coinvestment and global scaling.Indiaaffiliated Global Capability Centres in South Africa present a particularly exciting opportunity, leveraging our skilled talent base and continental reach.

To focus our collective effort, we propose three flagship outcomes from this collaboration: First, the launch of the SA–India SMME Industrial Linkage Programme within the next year. Second, the establishment of at least two joint technology or pharmaceutical manufacturing projects serving African markets. Third, the rollout of an SA–India Youth Technology Skills Programme, targeting AI, digital services and advanced manufacturing.

These initiatives will provide tangible platforms for partnership, investment and job creation.

Ladies and Gentlemen, technology and automation must become tools of inclusion, not exclusion. Renewable energy, business process outsourcing, ITenabled services and agroprocessing all present powerful opportunities to create work, particularly for young people.

Let us therefore act with ambition and urgency. Let us build industries that create jobs. We are here to forge a partnership worthy of the extraordinary history that binds South Africa and India together.

In conclusion, in one of the African languages we say, “Kule Ndi Husina Wa Hau”. Simply translated it means there is no place too far as long as you have a family, and India is our family.

I thank you”