Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria on Friday. PTI

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached out to South Africa on the second leg of his Africa tour and recalled Mahatama Gandhi and Nelson Mandela saying the duo connected the two nations.Defence and security co-operation was high on agenda as well as increased co-operation at international forums. South African President Jacob Zuma is scheduled to visit Goa later this year to attend BRICS Summit, an event that will provide both the leaders another chance to discuss various issues. Interestingly, Zuma did not explicitly endorse India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UNSC, but said South Africa would work with India on reforming the council. The issue of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) also came up since South Africa was among those nations that had objected to process-related procedures for India’s entry. Modi “thanked the President for South Africa’s support for India’s membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group”. In a joint statement issued at the end of the talks, Modi reiterated India’s commitment to comply with NSG guidelines and continued commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament. “Beyond economic ties and links of business, trade and investment, we can also partner in defence and security,” Modi said in Pretoria after holding delegation-level talks with Zuma. Terrorism was another topic discussed between the two leaders.