India’s relationship with countries on the African continent has been gaining momentum. This is shown by growing trade and investment, an increase in high level political engagement and people to people relations.
A youthful demography, fast growing economies and proven resource wealth are grounds for optimism. There are also issues like regional conflicts, poverty and high unemployment. The “world too has a responsibility to assist Africans secure their goals” and this should be based on a “respectful and empathetic attitude”.
Much of the world is far more interested in Africa today than it was 20 or even 10 years ago. Their interests are “varied but largely common”, including security, access to natural resources, a growing market anddevelopment of the continent’s human resources.
Glorious History :-
The geographical proximity and easy navigability in Indian Ocean resulted in well-established trade network between India and the Swahili Coast predating European exploration.
More concrete relation between India and Africa begins to emerge during the Islamic age which is evident through the accounts of Venetian traveller Marco Polo.
Political connection during the colonial era was linked through M.K Gandhi who began his political career in South Africa, became the leader of colonized and established Indian Natal Congress in 1894.
After India got independent, it raised voice for African liberation taking their case to all the available international forums. End of racial struggle and decolonization became the rallying point of India–Africa relations.
India was a forerunner as a champion of the interests of the developing countries from Africa, particularly through the Bandung Declaration of 1955, the Group of 77, and the Non Aligned Movement (NAM).
India’s policy of NAM provided the world with the third front at the time of heightened cold war rivalry between US and USSR, where African nations acted as the strengthening factor.
A large chunk of Indian diaspora continues to live in African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius, and Nigeria.
It is this sense of solidarity, mutual trust and confidence born in the difficult days of the Cold War which continues to drive India-Africa cooperation to this day.
Why Africa is Important:-
Africa is home to over half a dozen of the fastest growing countries of this decade such as Rwanda, Senegal, and Tanzania etc making it one of the growth pole of the world.
Real GDP in Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa in the past decade has grown by more than twice the rate in 1980s and 90’s.
African continent has a population of over one billion with a combined GDP of 2.5 trillion dollars making it a huge potential market.
Africa is a resource rich nation dominated by commodities like crude oil, gas, pulses and lentils, leather, gold and other metals, all of which India lack in sufficient quantities.India is seeking diversification of its oil supplies away from the Middle East and Africa can play an important role in India’s energy matrix.
India’s Engagement in Africa:-
Engagement at all levels with African countries has increased in the last two decades with a large number of public and private sector companies from India investing in Africa.
India’s duty-free tariff preferential scheme for Least Developed Nation (LDCs) launched in 2008 has benefited 33 African states.
Multilateral engagement was launched with the first India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in 2008.
India is investing in capacity building providing more than $1 billion in technical assistance and training to personnel under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program.
As a full member of African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), India has pledged $1 million towards ACBF’s sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and capacity building initiative.
India has invested $100 million in the Pan-African E-Network to bridge the digital divide in Africa, leveraging its strengths in information technology.
Indian military academies offer training to military officers from a number of African states.
India postulates that its partnership with Africa is an amalgam of development priorities in keeping with the African Union’s long term plan and the Africa Agenda 2063, as well as India’s development objectives.
ChallengesAhead:-
Ethnic and religious conflicts and governance issues in some countries make foreign contributors aversive to venture in the region.
India’s substantive presence in Africa has remained marginal as it focused on its own periphery through much of the Cold War period which limited its capabilities.
Since the end of the Cold War China’s presence has grown in Africa, who has been providing soft loans to African states which has resulted in Chinese growing influence in the continent.
With government institutions and businesses working in separate silos, India has no coordinated Africa policy nor does there seem to be an avenue where the strengths of both actors can be leveraged.
Way Forward To Future:-
India will need to start delivering on the ground if the India-Africa partnership has to move beyond high level visits.
Indian investments in Africa need to expand and diversify towards ‘broad’ range and not remain restricted to traditional sectors of investments.
In order to keep the momentum of building political and economic ties with this increasingly important region, steps should be taken towards tailoring and funding joint projects for the sustainable development of the Africa.
