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India News Updated Oct 27, 2026

Kirti Vardhan Singh Attends Nigeria's 66th Independence Day as Chief Guest

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Kirti Vardhan Singh represented India as Chief Guest at Nigeria's 66th Independence Day celebrations in Abuja. He said India and Nigeria share longstanding historical ties and a robust Strategic Partnership. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

India reaffirms commitment to deepening Strategic Partnership with Nigeria on its I-Day

New Delhi, Oct 27

India on Tuesday extended greetings to the government and people of Nigeria on their National Day and reaffirmed its commitment to further deepening bilateral cooperation with the West African nation for the mutual benefit of the two peoples.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh represented the Government of India as Chief Guest at Nigeria's 66th Independence Day celebrations, noting that the two countries share longstanding historical ties and a robust Strategic Partnership.

"Warm felicitations to the Government and the friendly people of Nigeria on their National Day. Honoured to represent the Government of India as Chief Guest at Nigeria's 66th Independence Day celebrations," the MoS posted on X.

"India and Nigeria share longstanding historical ties and a robust Strategic Partnership. We remain committed to further deepening our bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of our peoples," he added.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Vice President Kashim Shettima of Nigeria on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

"Delighted to meet Vice President Kashim Shettima of Nigeria on the sidelines of the Delhi BRICS Summit. We discussed cooperation in areas such as trade, power, clean energy, fertilisers and defence. We also reviewed cooperation in health, capacity building, technology and more," PM Modi stated on X.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both leaders reviewed the multifaceted India-Nigeria relationship and expressed satisfaction at the steady progress across diverse sectors.

"The discussion focused on key areas including trade and investment, defence and security, energy partnership, agriculture, health, and digital technologies. They reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-Nigeria Strategic Partnership," stated the MEA.

"They emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation in multilateral fora and working together towards a more representative, inclusive and multi-polar international order," noted the MEA.

"The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Nigeria to building a stronger, forward-looking partnership, contributing to peace, prosperity and development in both countries and in the wider Global South," stated the MEA.

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— IANS

Reader’s Guide · AI-assisted, based only on the report above

What the report makes clear: India sent a minister as Chief Guest to Nigeria's Independence Day and publicly reaffirmed the bilateral Strategic Partnership.

Still open: The report does not yet say what specific new agreements or deliverables emerged from this visit.

Another way to look at it: Symbolic diplomacy matters most when it is followed by concrete trade, defence or energy outcomes.

What should India prioritise most in its partnership with Nigeria?

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