Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address to the Parliament of Namibia, announced that Namibia will become the first country to adopt India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) technology for real-time digital payments. This rollout is scheduled for later in 2025 following a licensing agreement signed in April 2024 between India's National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Bank of Namibia. Modi highlighted that this adoption will enable faster money transfers, benefiting individuals across Namibia, including rural and urban areas. He emphasized the broader development partnership between India and Africa, valued at over $12 billion, underscoring the vision for Africa to transition from being merely a source of raw materials to a leader in value creation and sustainable growth. Modi called for a future defined by partnership, dialogue, and equity rather than power and dominance, framing India's engagement with Africa as a cooperative effort for shared growth and purpose. The diplomatic initiative is also seen as part of India's strategic push to position itself as an alternative to China in Africa, focusing on defense, investments, and broader strategic cooperation.