President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa will visit India on 25-26 this month as a State Guest of Honour for Republic Day 2019. President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by the First Lady Dr. Tshepo Motsepe, and a high level delegation including nine Ministers, senior officials of his Government and a 50-member business delegation. In a release, the External Affairs Ministry said, this is the first visit to India by President Ramaphosa as Head of State. He is the second President of South Africa after President Nelson Mandela to be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day. President Ramaphosa will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhawan on the 25th.
President Ram Nath Kovind will host a State Banquet in honour of the visiting President the same evening. President Ramaphosa along with Prime Minister Modi will address the India-South Africa Business Forum on the 25 January with the objective to grow business ties between the two countries. He will also deliver the Gandhi-Mandela Freedom Lecture organized by Indian Council of World Affairs under IBSA framework as a part of the celebrations of the 15th Anniversary of IBSA.
