| Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: International Relations, Topic: India’s foreign policy, Issue: India-Africa |
Context: India should center on African countries in its global south narrative.
Africa’s importance for India:
- Indian investments in Africa is $98 billion (2023), with trade amounting to $100 billion.
- Africa’s influence in global forums is crucial for India’s global governance vision.
- Africa houses three-fourths of humanity and contributes over 39% to global GDP.
- Africa’s 30% share of global mineral reserves is vital for the energy transition.
- Convergence of India’s supply chain diversification and Africa’s value chain ambitions
India’s development assistance to Africa:
- 42 African countries rank as the second-largest recipients of credit extended by India.
- Around 200 developmental projects have been completed in Africa.
- Indian social enterprises and NGOs are exporting low-cost, scalable solutions, from eco-friendly houses to rural women solar engineers.
The way ahead:
- Leveraging historical partnerships with Africa is vital for India’s Global South aspirations.
- Consider revitalizing existing collaborations or forging new ones with African technical organizations.
- Such efforts would enhance negotiation skills, provide project management training, and offer industry-specific technical courses.
- Indian research institutes collaborating with Africa’s research community can develop solutions to tackle Global South challenges.
