Sudan is known for its rich gold and oil deposits as well as its vast tracts of arable land. In recent years, the country has emerged as one of India’s largest trading partners in the African continent. In a freewheeling interaction with The Dollar Business, H.E. Sirajuddin Hamid Yousif, the Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to India, explains why his government aspires for a strategic relationship with India when it comes to trade and investment.
TDB: Let’s start with your views on the current state of bilateral relationship between India and Sudan.
H.E. Sirajuddin Hamid Yousif (SHY): Relations between Sudan and India are historical and date back thousands of years, to the time of the Indus Valley and Nilotic civilisations. India’s National Defence Academy and its Sudan Block were partly funded by the Sudanese government in recognition of the sacrifices of the Indian troops in liberation of Sudan in the North African campaign during World War II. We are grateful for India’s support for an independent Sudan and the role it played in conducting our first elections, which paved the way to our independence in 1956. Strengthened by a confluence of cultural and economic ties, Sudan’s relationship with India is set to flourish and move into a higher trajectory in the days to come.
In Khartoum, our capital, if you tell people that you are from India, Sudanese are likely to break into one of their favourite Bollywood songs or tell you about their favourite Indian actor. This clearly displays the profound connect between the people of Sudan and India that has been fortified by shared values and centuries of steady cultural and historical connections.
Furthermore, trade and investment relations are also getting stronger with each passing year. The governments of both the countries are continuously engaging in efforts to enhance bilateral relations. And because of our historical linkages, Indian businesses and products have an edge over other Asian businesses and products in Sudan.
This story is from the June 2017 edition of The Dollar Business.
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This story is from the June 2017 edition of The Dollar Business.
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