The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed has received a delegation of participants from Course 66th of the National Defence College, New Delhi, India, on a courtesy visit to the Ministry on Monday, 1 June 2026, in Abuja.

The delegation was led by Ms Anvita Sinha and was in Nigeria as part of a foreign study tour to gain insights into the country's socio-economic development, foreign policy orientation, security environment, and strategic outlook.

Welcoming the delegation, Ambassador Ahmed reaffirmed the longstanding and cordial relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of India.

He noted that both countries enjoy strong bilateral ties anchored on shared democratic values, historical friendship, growing economic engagement and cooperation within regional and multilateral frameworks.

A statement signed by the spokesperson of the ministry of foreign Affairs Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa revealed that the Permanent Secretary highlighted the significance of the visit as a valuable platform for strengthening mutual understanding and expanding cooperation in critical areas such as defence, security, capacity building, technology transfer and sustainable development.

He underscored Nigeria's appreciation for India's longstanding support in military training, professional development and defence cooperation, which have contributed significantly to strengthening institutional capacities and promoting regional security. 

Similarly, during the interactive session, discussions focused on Nigeria's foreign policy priorities, contemporary global geopolitical developments, regional security challenges and opportunities for enhanced cooperation between Nigeria and India.

The Permanent Secretary emphasised the importance of stronger collaboration among countries of the Global South and reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to promoting South-South cooperation through platforms such as BRICS and other multilateral arrangements aimed at advancing the collective interests of developing countries.

He also outlined Nigeria's leadership role in Africa, particularly in the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063, regional peace and security initiatives, infrastructure development and economic integration. 

Ambassador Ahmed equally reiterated Nigeria's commitment to fostering peace, stability and prosperity across the African continent through diplomacy, strategic partnerships and regional cooperation.

The discussions further explored opportunities for greater collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts, intelligence sharing, border management, professional military education and the application of emerging technologies to address evolving security threats.

Ambassador Ahmed expressed Nigeria's readiness to deepen cooperation with India in these areas for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Indian Defence Adviser to Nigeria, Colonel Manoj, expressed appreciation to the Ministry for the warm reception and productive engagement.

He commended the strong and enduring relationship between Nigeria and India and expressed confidence that continued dialogue and collaboration would further strengthen bilateral relations and contribute to international peace, security and development.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation by both sides of their commitment to expanding cooperation in diplomacy, defence, security, education, technology and development.