What happened?
Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita will undertake an official visit to Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa from July 18–25, 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced. His visit to Eswatini and Lesotho will take place from July 18–22, followed by participation in the G20 Development Ministerial Meetings (DMM) in South Africa from July 23–25.
Why it matters to India
The visit aims to deepen India’s engagement with Africa through high-level exchanges and expanded cooperation in trade, capacity building, education, and development partnerships. In Eswatini, Margherita will meet King Mswati III, the Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, and engage with the Indian diaspora. In Lesotho, he will call on King Letsie III and Prime Minister Samuel Matekane, and meet several cabinet ministers. This marks the first ministerial visit to Lesotho in a decade. In South Africa, he will lead India’s delegation to the G20 DMM and hold bilateral talks with key leaders, reinforcing India’s development diplomacy and multilateral outreach across the African continent.