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Gujarat-Zimbabwe Forge MSME & Education Ties During High-Level Delegation Visit

A high-level Zimbabwe delegation, including Ambassador Stella Nkomo and Deputy Minister Rajeshkumar Modi, met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to strengthen bilateral ties. Discussions centered on leveraging Gujarat's MSME expertise to support Zimbabwe's small and medium enterprise sector. The delegation also expressed interest in expanding educational cooperation, noting Zimbabwean officials are already enrolled in security programs at NFSU Gandhinagar. Both sides extended invitations for future engagements, including Zimbabwe's participation in Vibrant Gujarat 2027 and Gujarat's involvement in a Zimbabwe SME exhibition in 2026.

Key Points: Gujarat, Zimbabwe Explore MSME & Education Collaboration

  • SME sector collaboration
  • Skill development & training
  • Education & cybercrime security programs
  • Vibrant Summit 2027 invitation
  • SME exhibition in Zimbabwe 2026
2 min read

Gujarat, Zimbabwe explore MSME, education ties during delegation visit

Zimbabwe delegation meets Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel to discuss SME sector cooperation, skill development, and educational partnerships.

"Zimbabwe is keen to benefit from this strength. - Zimbabwe Delegation"

Gandhinagar, February 13

Zimbabwe Ambassador to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Stella Nkomo, along with Zimbabwe's Deputy Minister of Industry & Commerce, Rajeshkumar Modi and a delegation, paid a courtesy visit to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, the delegation visited Gujarat to participate in the 12th Trade Show of the Saurashtra Vepar Udyog Mandal, held in Ahmedabad from February 11th to 15th.

During the courtesy meeting, discussions focused on leveraging Gujarat's SME expertise to support Zimbabwe's SME sector.

The Ambassador and the Deputy Minister of Zimbabwe stated that Gujarat is not only a manufacturing and automotive hub but is also emerging as a semiconductor hub and a leader in the MSME sector. Zimbabwe is keen to benefit from this strength.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed readiness to explore opportunities for collaboration to enable Zimbabwe to benefit from Gujarat's MSME expertise, particularly in assessing the potential of Zimbabwe's SME sector and advancing skill development and training through cooperation.

The Zimbabwe delegation also showed interest in expanding relations with Gujarat in the education sector in addition to industry and trade. They mentioned that police and security officials from Zimbabwe are enrolled in higher education programmes at NFSU Gandhinagar in subjects such as security and cybercrime security.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel invited Zimbabwe to participate in the upcoming Vibrant Summit 2027 and the next edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference.

The Ambassador and Deputy Minister of Zimbabwe invited entrepreneurs from Gujarat's MSME sector and state government officials to visit Zimbabwe for the SME exhibition to be held there in March 2026, a release said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Very proud to see Gujarat leading the way in international partnerships. The mention of NFSU Gandhinagar training their police in cybercrime is impressive. It shows our educational institutions are gaining global recognition. Hope this leads to more student exchanges as well.
R
Rajesh Q
Good initiative, but I hope our small entrepreneurs get proper support when they explore markets in Africa. The government should ensure there are clear channels for finance and dispute resolution. Sometimes these MoUs look great on paper but the ground reality for our business owners is different.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the Deputy Minister's name is Rajeshkumar Modi! The collaboration on SMEs is a smart move. Zimbabwe has resources, Gujarat has industrial know-how. This could be a win-win. The 2026 exhibition invite is a concrete step forward.
V
Vikram M
Gujarat continues to be the engine of India's global trade outreach. From Vibrant Gujarat summits to these bilateral meets, it's setting a benchmark. Hope other states learn and replicate this proactive approach. Jai Hind!
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Nisha Z
This is the kind of soft diplomacy that builds long-term relationships. Helping another developing nation build its SME sector is far more impactful than just aid. Education and skills transfer create true partners. Well done to the CM and the delegation.

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