Embassy of India

Antananarivo, Madagascar

Questeur of National Assembly H.E. Mrs. Lanto Rakotomanga,

Secretary General of Ministry of National Education His Excellency Mr. Rabenandrasana Theophile,

Excellencies, Student, Ladies and Gentlemen!

At the outset, I would like to convey my hearty congratulations to the students of Madagascar on the occasion of school days.

You might be aware that in India, we celebrate the Children’s Day every year on 14 November, on the birthday of our first Prime Minister Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru. He once said “The children of today will make the India of tomorrow. The way we bring them up will determine the future of the country”.

This is true for both India and Madagascar which are young nations with a large percentage of the population below the age of 25 years.

As you know, last year, India marked the 75th anniversary of its independence. Over the past 75 years, India has witnessed remarkable progress from a largely impoverished country to the world’s 5th largest economy and the 3rd largest start-up eco-system. India has not only administered 2.2 bn doses of Covid-19 vaccines to its own nationals but also exported about 300 million doses of vaccines to more than 100 countries across the world. The theme of India’s ongoing Presidency in G-20 reflects the ancient Indian philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, which means the whole world is one big family.

India sees Madagascar not as a distant country but a close neighbours in the Indian Ocean region. You may be aware that the distance between northern Madagascar and southern India is less than 4000 km. India attaches importance to further consolidating its friendly relations with Madagascar as part of the vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). As a fellow democracy in the Indian Ocean region, India stands ready to share its developmental experience and expertise as per the needs and requirements of Madagascar.

In the field of education, India has been offering scholarships and short term training programs to the students and professionals from Madagascar. The Embassy conducts free classes of Yoga and Hindi language for the general public of Madagascar. We are willing to organize special sessions of Yoga for the students, teachers and professionals of Madagascar.

As developing countries, both India and Madagascar are affected by climate change which is largely due to the historical carbon emissions by the developed countries. As responsible members of the Global South, our two countries attach importance to protecting and preserving the environment. Embassy is willing to work with the relevant Ministries/ Agencies in Madagascar to promote LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment). I am confident that the bicycles donated by the Government of India will not only benefit the students and teachers of Madagascar but also contribute towards to the sustainable development of Madagascar.

In conclusion, I would like to once again congratulate the students of Madagascar on the occasion of the school days and wish you good health and success in all your endeavours.

Thank you!