The Federal Government has extolled the government and people of the Republic of India on the country’s 76th Republic Day anniversary celebration.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, described January 26 as a “very important day” in the history of India.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria and India have maintained strong ties and strategic partnerships in global affairs since the establishment of diplomatic relations decades ago.

The areas of cooperation include trade, education, healthcare and technology among others. However, Tuggar added in the statement, signed by the acting spokesman of the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, that India commemorates the adoption of its constitution on January 26, 1950.

This, he said, marked the country’s transition to a sovereign republic. Tuggar congratulated Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, on the journey so far.