India and Nigeria should strengthen defence ties: Obada

The two countries should improve defence ties in harmony with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both countries in 2007 which has not been fully implemented," Nigeria's Minister of State for Defence, Olusola Obada said.

She said that historically the two countries have excellent bilateral relationships and should therefore, work together to strengthen ties in the defence sector.

Her comments came as students from India's National Defence University came to meet her along with India's High Commissioner to Nigeria Mahesh Sachdev.

"The bilateral relation that we have with India is doing quite well and there is need for both countries to move the relationship forward as stipulated in our MOU," she said.

"I am also happy to hear that India is Nigeria's second most important trading partner as you also side, you don't want to remain as the second that you want to be number one. So this current synergy should continue to expand and we are also keen to have this in the defence sector as well", she added.

"We need to expand that synergy to move the MOU forward and there are so many things that are similar to both countries like the recent security challenges that we face in Nigeria and like you said that it is in India's interest to have a very stable armed prosperous Nigeria," she added,

Sachdev told the minister that the participants were in the office to consolidate on the relationship that exist between both countries' defence establishments.

He said the visit will also provide the opportunity for the participants to learn the new strategy thinking of the service, acquaint themselves with it and re-formulate their cooperation and collaboration.

"We will work with our Nigerian friends so that the bi-lateral ties are not only sustained but expanded further", he said.

"We believe that our two destines are intertwined through common history, through our own various apparent specifics, such as large multi-ethnic democratic and tolerant societies and facing various defence challenges.

"So it was only natural for the two countries to collaborate in the defence sector," he noted.