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By Ross Moyo
Zimbabwe is set to benefit from plans for a skills and technology transfer programme which will cascade to the youth demographic and the biggest winner being a more sound economy for the country following a technological exchange between India and the Southern African nation.
This was revealed during a courtesy call to President Emmerson Mnangagwa whilst receiving a gift from Indian investors, Vardhaa Lithium Company chairman Sunil Joshi and managing director Vedansh Joshi at State House in Harare recently.
An official privy to the meeting between the Head of State and Indian investors confirmed the development.
By Ross Moyo
“They (Vardhaan) have a project for the technological transfer, which is one aspect that we want . . . we have an exchange programme for the Zimbabwean youth and the middle-aged adults to interchange on technological transfer in India.”
Emanating from Zimbabwe’s mining the technology transfer benefits will be dependent on beneficiation of Zimbabwe’s Lithium by the Indian investors who will set up the country’s first ever refinery of the lithium ore and also build Zimbabwe’s first ever battery plant which will see value addition taking place.
By harnessing Zimbabwe’s rich mineral resources, ensuring beneficiation and value addition, VARDHAAN Lithium, will be both the nation’s and India’s inaugural lithium refinery and battery manufacturing unit which will create employment for over 5000 locals.
The official added provision will be made of “direct employment to 5 000 Zimbabweans with indirect job creation for an additional 10 000 people,”
He added the Indian Zim technology transfer will be the catalyst needed for value addition , “So we will be having people going to India for training and then coming back to work in Zimbabwe. The whole idea is to transform the economic sector and, the entire GDP of the country,” he said.
The India-headquartered company’s chairman, Sunil Joshi and his managing director Vedansh Joshi, courtesy call on Zimbabwe’s First Citizen at State House in Harare, officially telling him of their desire to invest in the country’s mining sector will guarantee that technology transfer between the two countries.
Vardhaan will explore the country’s mineral resources in Bikita, Masvingo Province setting up a lithium battery assembly plant and an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Bikita.
“The whole objective is that at least they are going to invest in mineral exploration and beneficiation…(with) the passage of time, the ultimate goal is to establish a battery assembly plant in Bikita and an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in the same area.
“So at least an area has been secured, say, in the Bikita area where these operations are going to be carried out,” he said.
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