PM Modi conferred Namibia's highest civilian award; Namibia first to sign UPI licensing pact
On 9 July 2025 in Windhoek, Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah conferred on PM Narendra Modi the 'Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis', Namibia's highest civilian award, on the last leg of his five-nation tour.
Summary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Namibia on 9 July 2025, the final leg of a five-nation tour that began on 2 July and covered Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil (including the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 6โ7 July) and Namibia. In Windhoek, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah conferred on him Namibia's highest civilian award, the 'Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis'; he is the first Indian leader to receive it. The visit was the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Namibia in 27 years and the first bilateral State Visit hosted by President Nandi-Ndaitwah since she took office in March 2025. Namibia became the first country to sign a licensing agreement to adopt UPI technology, submitted letters of acceptance to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuels Alliance, and was invited to join the International Big Cat Alliance; MoUs on an Entrepreneurship Development Centre and on health and medicine were signed. The PM also addressed Namibia's Parliament.
Key facts
- Award
- Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis โ Namibia's highest civilian award; first Indian leader to receive it
- Visit
- 9 July 2025, Windhoek; first Indian PM visit in 27 years
- Outcomes
- Namibia first country to sign licensing agreement to adopt UPI; joins CDRI and Global Biofuels Alliance; MoUs on Entrepreneurship Development Centre and health
- Tour honours
- Ghana: Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana; Trinidad & Tobago: Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago; Brazil: Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross; Namibia: Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis
- Tour
- 2โ9 July 2025: Ghana (2โ3 Jul), Trinidad & Tobago (3โ4 Jul), Argentina, Brazil (BRICS Rio 6โ7 Jul; Brasilia), Namibia
Practice MCQs 5 questions
Which honour was conferred on PM Narendra Modi by Namibia on 9 July 2025?
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Correct answer: A โ Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis
PMO: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah conferred on the PM Namibia's highest civilian award, the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis.
During PM Modi's visit in July 2025, Namibia became the first country globally to do which of the following?
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Correct answer: C โ Sign a licensing agreement to adopt UPI technology
PMO (List of Outcomes): Namibia becomes the first country globally to sign a licensing agreement to adopt UPI technology.
Consider the following statements about PM Modi's visit to Namibia (9 July 2025): 1. It was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Namibia in 27 years. 2. It was the first bilateral State Visit hosted by President Nandi-Ndaitwah after she took office. 3. Namibia joined the International Big Cat Alliance during the visit. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B โ 1 and 2 only
Statements 1 and 2 are correct as per the PMO. Statement 3 is wrong: the PM invited Namibia to join the International Big Cat Alliance; Namibia joined CDRI and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
Which national honour did Ghana confer on PM Narendra Modi during his July 2025 tour?
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Correct answer: D โ Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana
PMO: President John Dramani Mahama conferred the national honour of Ghana โ Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana. The other two listed honours were conferred by Brazil and Trinidad & Tobago.
During PM Modi's visit in July 2025, Namibia submitted letters of acceptance to join which two India-backed initiatives?
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Correct answer: A โ CDRI and Global Biofuels Alliance
PMO (List of Outcomes): Namibia submitted letters of acceptance for joining the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuels Alliance.