Indian envoy Abhay Kumar talks cooperation with Madagascar in mining sector

Indian Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar held talks with Madagascar's Mining Minister Rakotomalala Herindrainy Olivier and discussed the prospect of a partnership in the mining sector.

The meeting was held on Friday. Taking to Twitter, the Indian Embassy in Madagascar wrote, "Ambassador Abhay Kumar met H.E. Rakotomalala Herindrainy Olivier, Hon'ble Minister of Mines and Strategic Resources of Madagascar today. They discussed the opportunities for cooperation in the mining sector between India and Madagascar."

Notably, Madagascar has rich mineral reserves, including copper, iron and manganese ores, nickel, graphite, rock salt, niter, pyrites, gold, rare earth, antimony, ilmenite, tin, asphalt, coal, and petroleum. Madagascar is also rich in precious and semi-precious stones: ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, beryl, tourmaline, topaz, garnet, cordierite, rose quartz, amethyst, and citrine. Decorative stones found are marble, silicified wood, and jasper.

Two Indian companies active in the mining sector of Madagascar are Tirupati Graphites and APC Drilling. Japan Sumitomo group and South Korea's Komir have invested about 8 billion USD in the Ambatovy mine which produces around 60,000 tonnes of nickel and 5600 tonnes of cobalt every year. It is one of the largest nickel mining entities in the world.

India imports many thousand tonnes of nickel every year which is a key ingredient in EV batteries. Madagascar can be a source of nickel and cobalt import for India as well as coal and gold.

Kumar also met Madagascar's Minister of Transport and Meteorology M Rolland Ranjatoelina on Thursday and discussed the possibility of starting a direct flight between Mumbai and Antananarivo.

"Ambassador Abhay Kumar met M Rolland Ranjatoelina, Hon'ble Minister of Transport and #Meteorology of Madagascar today. They discussed the possibility of starting a direct flight between #Mumbai and #Antananarivo," Ambassador Abhay Kumar said in a tweet on Thursday.

Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot and has plants and animals which are not found elsewhere in the world.

Madagascar remains unexplored by Indian tourists, an island nation just six hours away in the Indian Ocean next to Mauritius.

Visa is available for Indian tourists on arrival in Madagascar and there are many places to visit across the country from Baobab Alley to dancing lemurs to singing whales and pristine beaches.

Madagascar is a traveller's dream. It is well known for dark night skies for Astro-tourism. All the major constellations visible from the Southern Hemisphere are visible in Madagascar.

A direct flight between India and Madagascar can help the people of Madagascar to avail world-class health, educational and financial services in India and can promote tourism between the two countries.

India is the fourth largest trade partner of Madagascar.

A direct flight between the two countries can promote trade and commerce and people-to-people relations between the two countries. Madagascar has a large Indian diaspora who have family roots in Gujarat.