His Excellency Dr. George T. Chaponda,  Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,
Mr. Chauncy Simwaka, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Mr Wilson Moleni, Commissioner, Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), 

Chief Executive Officer of National Food Reserve Agency(NFRA), Govt of Malawi

Senior Government Officials,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the Press and Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

It is  indeed my  honour and privilege  to join you today for this important ceremony marking the handing-over of  generous donation of 1,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice from the people and the Government of India to the Government and people of the Republic of Malawi.

I take this opportunity to  convey my sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude to Honourable Minister Dr. George T. Chaponda for gracing this occasion as our esteemed ‘‘Guest of Honour’’.  

Excellency Your presence truly reflects the enduring strength of the friendship and cooperation between our two countries.

Today’s event  is not merely the handing over of gift consignment of food assistance but it is a reaffirmation of solidarity, friendship and shared commitment of our two nations which are strongly connected by history, culture and strong people-to-people connects.

India and Malawi share warm and longstanding ties that goes back to the period before Malawi’s independence. India was among the first few countries to recognize Malawi’s independence in 1964, and over the decades our partnership has steadily expanded across many sectors including trade, education, agriculture, capacity building and healthcare.

Over the years, India firmly stood  with Malawi during moments of challenges and difficulties whether it was Covid pandemic in 2020 or  Freddy cyclone in 2023. India has been consistently extending support to Malawi as a trusted and reliable partner. Today’s rice donation is also a part of that continuing commitment.

As we are all aware, Malawi faces recurring climate-related challenges affecting food production, livelihoods and threatening food security. In October 2025, His Excellency President Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika declared a state of disaster in all 28 districts due to severe food insecurity caused by prolonged dry spells and  drought  and appealed to the partner countries for aid and support.

I am glad to mention that India responded positively to this appeal in the spirit of friendship and solidarity. This consignment of 1,000 metric tonnes of rice represents India’s commitment to standing with the people of Malawi during difficult times and contributing towards food security and resilience.

This small  gesture  reflects our broader understanding that health security and food security are deeply interconnected. A healthy society cannot exist without adequate nutrition, and sustainable development cannot be achieved without resilience against hunger and poverty.

Honorable Minister and distinguished guests 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

India firmly believes in the philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — meaning “The World is One Family.” This timeless vision reminds us that humanity’s challenges must be addressed collectively, through compassion, cooperation and solidarity. Today’s event is a reiteration of India’s continued commitment to supporting partners under Govt. of India’s initiative “India for Humanity” in the Global South and advancing the spirit of South-South Cooperation. It also demonstrates that the India–Malawi partnership is not transactional; but it is a people and  human-centric.

India remains committed to supporting Malawi’s development priorities under Malawi Vision 2063 and to expanding our cooperation in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, digital technology, skills development and renewable energy.

I am confident that the friendship between India and Malawi will continue to grow stronger in the years ahead, guided by our shared values and common aspirations for peace, prosperity and human development.

Before I conclude, I wish to thank all those who worked tirelessly to ensure the successful transportation and delivery of this consignment from India to Malawi in a timely manner. 

Let this handover ceremony serve as another symbol of the enduring friendship between our two nations and the shared commitment of India and Malawi to the welfare  of our people.

Together, we will continue to build a partnership rooted not only in diplomacy, but in humanity.

I thank you all.

Zikomo Kwambiri !
Dhanyavaad !

Jai Hind, Jai Bharat !