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India-Uganda Joint Statement during State Visit of Prime Minister to Uganda

Published By : Admin | July 25, 2018 | 18:54 IST

  1. At the invitation of His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi undertook a State Visit to Uganda from 24-25 July 2018. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior officials of the Government of India and a large business delegation. This was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 21 years.

  2. Prime Minister Modi was accorded a high level ceremonial welcome on arrival. During the visit, he held bilateral discussions with President Museveni at State House, Entebbe on Wednesday 24th July 2018. President Museveni hosted a state banquet in the honour of the visiting Prime Minister.

  3. Prime Minister Modi’s program included an address to the Ugandan Parliament, which was telecast live in India and many African countries. This was the first time that an Indian Prime Minister had addressed the Ugandan Parliament. A business event jointly organised by the Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) was addressed by both the Principals. Prime Minister Modi also addressed a large gathering of Indian Community in Uganda at a special event organized for this purpose.

  4. During the discussions, Prime Minister Modi and President Museveni underlined the traditionally warm and close ties between Uganda and India. Both sides agreed that bilateral relations have tremendous potential and reaffirmed the mutual desire to strengthen political, economic, commercial, defence, technical, educational, scientific and cultural cooperation. President Museveni praised the contribution of the 30,000-strong Indian Diaspora towards Uganda’s national development and economic growth. India appreciated the significant role played by Uganda for economic integration and maintenance of peace and stability in the Region.

  5. Following the talks, the Indian and Ugandan side:

    • Reaffirmed the commitment to reinforce and build upon the successes and achievements of existing bilateral cooperation,

    • Underscored the importance of trade and economic ties between the two countries. The two leaders noted the current level of bilateral trade and expressed the desire to enhance and diversify the trade basket including addressing the trade imbalance and to facilitate trade between the two countries.

    • Emphasized the need for enhanced private sector investment in a wide range of important sectors, underlining there was great potential for enhancement and expansion of mutual trade relations,

    • Noted with appreciation utilization of the training and scholarship slots by Ugandans under India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS), Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), etc.,

    • Expressed satisfaction at the growing cooperation between India and Uganda in defence matters, in particular the training of Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) in various Indian Army training institutions under the Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation as well as the deployment of Indian Military Training Team in Uganda’s Senior Command and Staff College (SCSC) in Kimaka,

    • Agreed to support collaboration between India and Uganda in the area of Information and Communication Technology. Uganda expressed its desire to replicate some of India’s schemes for Digital Inclusion while implementing its Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) project.

  6. Both leaders agreed that the terrorism poses a grave threat to global peace and stability and reiterated their strong commitment to combat it in all its forms and manifestations. They stressed that there could be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever.

  7. The leaders asserted that strong measures should be taken against terrorists, terror organizations, their networks and all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups. They also underscored the need to ensure that terrorist organizations do not get access to any WMD or technologies and committed to cooperate for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

  8. The leaders agreed on the need to closely engage with regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern.

  9. The two leaders reaffirmed the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, including its expansion, to make it more representative, accountable, effective and responsive to the geo-political realities of the 21st century. They reiterated their commitment to intensify their cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral organizations in order to address current global challenges such as climate change and to foster international and regional peace and security, as well as sustainable development.

  10. The leaders emphasized the need for regular convening of bilateral mechanisms, including at Foreign/External Affairs Ministers level, to review the overall state of bilateral relations, and for the expeditious implementation of the economic and development cooperation projects.

  11. The following MoUs / Documents were signed during the visit:

    • MoU on Defence Cooperation.

    • MoU on Visa exemption for Diplomatic and official passport holders.

    • MoU on Cultural Exchange Programme.

    • MoU on Material Testing Laboratory.

       

  12. The two leaders welcomed the conclusion of the MOUs and directed concerned individuals to ensure that implementation of existing agreements, Memoranda of Understanding and other frameworks of cooperation, is fast-tracked.

  13. During the Visit, Prime Minister Modi made the following announcements:
     

    • Two Lines of Credits for: 1. Construction of electricity lines and Substations worth US$141 million and 2. Agriculture and Dairy production US $ 64 million.

    • Contribution to establishment of Mahatma Gandhi Convention /Heritage centre at Jinja.

    • Financial support of US $929,705 for capacity building and creating supportive infrastructure for East African Community (EAC) which is currently chaired by Uganda.

    • 25 slots for training under the ITEC scheme in the field of dairy cooperation in order to strengthen cooperation in the Dairy sector.

    • Gifting of 88 vehicles, 44 each for the Ugandan Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) and for the civil use by the Ugandan Government.

    • Gifting of Bhabhatron Cancer Therapy machine to assist Uganda’s efforts towards eradicating the malaise of cancer.

    • Gifting of 100,000 NCERT books for school going children of Uganda.

    • Gifting 100 solar power irrigation pumps to Uganda for helping Uganda’s efforts in the development of agriculture.

  14. The announcements by Prime Minister Modi were welcomed by H.E President Yoweri Museveni, who affirmed that they would go a long way in further cementing and deepening the excellent bilateral relations.

  15. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi thanked President Mr. Yoweri Museveni for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation during their stay in Uganda and extended an invitation to visit India. President Museveni gladly accepted the invitation. The dates will be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi, earlier today. The three-day Conference was held in Pusa, Delhi from 26 to 28 December, 2025.

Prime Minister observed that this conference marks another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised that Human Capital comprising knowledge, skills, health and capabilities is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.

The Conference included discussions around the overarching theme of ‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’. Highlighting India's demographic advantage, the Prime Minister stated that nearly 70 percent of the population is in the working-age group, creating a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister said that India has boarded the “Reform Express”, driven primarily by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s key priority. Prime Minister noted that the Conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and moving steadily towards becoming a major global economic power.

He further observed that Viksit Bharat is synonymous with quality and excellence and urged all stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes. Emphasising quality in governance, service delivery and manufacturing, the Prime Minister stated that the label "Made in India' must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthen our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect.’ He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and strengthen economic resilience in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education too, he suggested that there is a need for academia and industry to work together to create high quality talent.

For livelihoods of youth, Prime Minister observed that tourism can play a huge role. He highlighted that India has a rich heritage and history with a potential to be among the top global tourist destinations. He urged the States to prepare a roadmap for creating at least one global level tourist destination and nourishing an entire tourist ecosystem.

PM Modi said that it is important to align the Indian national sports calendar with the global sports calendar. India is working to host the 2036 Olympics. India needs to prepare infrastructure and sports ecosystem at par with global standards. He observed that young kids should be identified, nurtured and trained to compete at that time. He urged the States that the next 10 years must be invested in them, only then will India get desired results in such sports events. Organising and promoting sports events and tournaments at local and district level and keeping data of players will create a vibrant sports environment.

PM Modi said that soon India would be launching the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM). Every State must give this top priority and create infrastructure to attract global companies. He further said that it included Ease of Doing Business, especially with respect to land, utilities and social infrastructure. He also called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and strengthen the services sector. In the services sector, PM Modi said that there should be greater emphasis on other areas like Healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, AI, etc. to make India a Global Services Giant.

Prime Minister also emphasized that as India aspires to be the food basket of the world, we need to shift to high value agriculture, dairy, fisheries, with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity. Similarly, in learning outcomes States must identify the lowest 100 districts and must work on addressing the issues around the low indicators.

PM also urged the States to use Gyan Bharatam Mission for digitization of manuscripts. He said that States may start a Abhiyan to digitize such manuscripts available in States. Once these manuscripts are digitized, Al can be used for synthesizing the wisdom and knowledge available.

Prime Minister noted that the Conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, and that the Chief Secretaries Conference, institutionalised by the Government of India, has become an effective platform for collective deliberation.

Prime Minister emphasised that States should work in tandem with the discussions and decisions emerging from both the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation.

Prime Minister suggested that similar conferences could be replicated at the departmental level to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister also said that all States and UTs must prepare capacity building plan along with the Capacity Building Commission. He said that use of Al in governance and awareness on cyber security is need of the hour. States and Centre have to put emphasis on cyber security for the security of every citizen.

Prime Minister said that the technology can provide secure and stable solutions through our entire life cycle. There is a need to utilise technology to bring about quality in governance.

In the conclusion, Prime Minister said that every State must create 10-year actionable plans based on the discussions of this Conference with 1, 2, 5 and 10 year target timelines wherein technology can be utilised for regular monitoring.

The three-day Conference emphasised on special themes which included Early Childhood Education; Schooling; Skilling; Higher Education; and Sports and Extracurricular Activities recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready workforce.

Discussion during the Conference

The discussions during the Conference reflected the spirit of Team India, where the Centre and States came together with a shared commitment to transform ideas into action. The deliberations emphasised the importance of ensuring time-bound implementation of agreed outcomes so that the vision of Viksit Bharat translates into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. The sessions provided a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, key challenges and possible solutions across priority areas related to human capital development.

The Conference also facilitated focused deliberations over meals on Heritage & Manuscript Preservation and Digitisation; and Ayush for All with emphasis on integrating knowledge in primary healthcare delivery.

The deliberations also emphasised the importance of effective delivery, citizen-centric governance and outcome-oriented implementation to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable on-ground impact. The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve inter-departmental coordination and adopt data-driven monitoring frameworks to enhance service delivery. Focus was placed on simplifying processes, leveraging technology and ensuring last-mile reach so that benefits of development reach every citizen in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Conference featured a series of special sessions that enabled focused deliberations on cross-cutting and emerging priorities. These sessions examined policy pathways and best practices on Deregulation in States, Technology in Governance: Opportunities, Risks & Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chain & Market Linkages; One State, One World Class Tourist Destination; Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Swadeshi; and Plans for a post-Left Wing Extremism future. The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, replication of successful State-level initiatives and time-bound implementation to translate deliberations into measurable outcomes.

The Conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States/Union Territories, domain experts and senior officers in the centre.