New Delhi, March 9 – India has dispatched a humanitarian shipment of 1,000 metric tons of rice to Malawi in response to the drought caused by the El Niño effect, reaffirming New Delhi's continued commitment to supporting partners in the Global South and promoting South-South cooperation.
"India-Malawi partnership for food security. To support Malawi's efforts towards food security following the drought caused by the El Niño effect, India has dispatched a humanitarian shipment of 1,000 metric tons of rice from the Nhava Sheva Port to the people of Malawi. This reaffirms India's continued commitment to supporting partners in the Global South and promoting South-South cooperation," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), posted on X.
Over 4 million people (approximately 20% of the population) are facing acute food shortages, leading to increased malnutrition and families skipping meals.
The crisis is driven by the El Niño weather pattern, causing erratic rainfall, and has resulted in the drying up of major water bodies such as Lake Chilwa.
The Malawian government has declared a state of disaster.
In October last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar congratulated George Chaponda on his appointment as Malawi's Minister of Foreign Affairs, stating that he looks forward to advancing bilateral cooperation between India and Malawi.
"Congratulate George Chaponda on his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Malawi. Given his close association with India, I look forward to advancing our bilateral cooperation," EAM Jaishankar wrote on the social media platform X.
EAM Jaishankar's congratulatory message came after Malawi's new President, Peter Mutharika, appointed veteran Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member George Chaponda as Foreign Minister.
India and Malawi share cordial and friendly bilateral ties. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), bilateral relations between India and Malawi have been further strengthened through regular high-level exchanges.
President Droupadi Murmu also undertook a state visit to Malawi in 2024.
During her visit, President Murmu met her then-Malawian counterpart Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and held productive discussions on a wide range of issues to further deepen the India-Malawi relationship, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said.
She also witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on arts and culture, youth matters, sports, and pharmaceutical cooperation.
President Murmu visited the National War Memorial in Lilongwe and paid floral tribute to the soldiers and civilians who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars and other military operations. She also laid a wreath at the Kamuzu Mausoleum – the resting place of the country's first President, Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
