Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 9: India has sent a humanitarian shipment of 1,000 metric tons of rice to Malawi to help the country cope with a severe food shortage triggered by drought linked to the El Niño phenomenon. The move reflects New Delhi’s continued commitment to supporting nations in the Global South and strengthening South–South cooperation.
The consignment was dispatched from Nhava Sheva Port and is aimed at assisting Malawian communities affected by the ongoing food crisis. Sharing the development on X, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said the initiative highlights the India–Malawi partnership in promoting food security.
Malawi is currently grappling with a serious humanitarian situation, with more than four million people — nearly 20 percent of the population — facing acute food shortages. The situation has led to rising malnutrition and forced many families to skip meals.
The crisis has largely been attributed to the El Niño weather pattern, which has caused irregular rainfall and prolonged dry spells across the country. The drought has also resulted in the shrinking of key water bodies, including Lake Chilwa, worsening agricultural losses and water scarcity. In response, the Malawian government has declared a national state of disaster.
India and Malawi maintain friendly bilateral relations, supported by regular high-level engagements and development cooperation. In October last year, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar congratulated George Chaponda on his appointment as Malawi’s Foreign Minister and expressed optimism about expanding ties between the two nations.
Chaponda was appointed by Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika following the formation of the new government. Jaishankar noted that Chaponda’s close association with India could further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Relations between the two countries also received a boost during the 2024 state visit of Droupadi Murmu to Malawi. During the visit, President Murmu met her Malawian counterpart Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and held discussions aimed at deepening cooperation across multiple sectors.
The visit also saw the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding covering areas such as arts and culture, youth affairs, sports, and pharmaceutical collaboration.
While in Malawi, President Murmu paid tribute at the National War Memorial, honouring soldiers and civilians who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars and other conflicts. She also laid a wreath at the Kamuzu Mausoleum, the resting place of the country’s first president, Hastings Kamuzu Banda.