India Africa relations

Importance of Africa

I. Geopolitical importance: support required for UNSC reforms.

II. Economic Importance:
o It is home to 6 of the world’s fastest-growing economies- Ethiopia,
Djibouti, Senegal, Tanzania, etc.
o African continental free trade agreement (AfCFTA) has entered into
force. It will raise Intra Africa trade by 52% and has created one of the
largest economic spaces in the world.
o Represents youthful demography
o By 2030, Africa will represent a quarter of the world’s workforce and
consumers.

III. Geostrategic Importance:

o Conventional security threats- to counter China and India. China has

acquired 1st overseas base in Djibouti.
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o Non-conventional- piracy off the coast of Somalia, human/ drug
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trafficking, terrorism, etc.

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• Growing religious radicalism & extremism in the Sahel region;

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• Eg: Boko Haram in Nigeria, Islamic State(IS) in Greater Sahara, IS

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in West Africa Province; Local Al-Qaida branch in Mali;

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• Reasons:- Regime change policies of USA & France - NATOs

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invasion removed Muammar Gaddafi in Libya;

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a) Such foreign interventions have removed regional bulwarks or

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leaders against militias & Jihadists, thereby affecting a strong

response against these non-state actors in Africa;
b) With destruction of ISIS militant infrastructure in Iraq & Syria,
their foot soldiers fled to Africa, regrouping themselves in the
region.

o It is also important for India’s energy security. India imports 16% of its
crude oil requirement from Africa.
o Food security: The fallow lands in Africa are cultivated by India’s private
sector. Indians are cultivating oilseeds and pulses in Africa and importing
the same.

Phases in India-Africa Relations:

 I. First phase(1950s, 1960s):

• It was marked by the enthusiasm for Afro-Asian solidarity.

• India continued to support Anti-colonial struggles in Africa & supported the Anti-
Apartheid movement in South Africa.
• Africa participated in the NAM initiative.
• However, India was disappointed in Africa for not being vocal in support of India
during the India-China war of 1962.

II. Second Phase(1970s, 1980s):

• During this phase India’s primary focus was the Indian subcontinent.
• India economy was also inward-looking.
• India continued to interact with Africa on the NAM & UNGA platform, &
contributed to peace-keeping forces to UN operations in Congo, Somalia, etc.
• But India, Africa relations were not in focus during this phase.

III. 1990s onwards:

• Despite the change of world order & India adopting a New Economic policy, the
backward & conflict-ridden African continent could not capture the attention of

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• Early 2000: India Africa relations were once again focused upon.
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• Reasons:
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a) Private sector started engaging in the African continent(Flag following

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Trade);
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b) India was fast losing ground to China, which marked its presence in Africa
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since 1990 itself;

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India-Africa Relations in Recent years:

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1. India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS):

o The first summit was held in 2008 in New Delhi; 2 nd in 2011in Ethiopia;
3rd in 2015 in New Delhi;
o 2020-Summit was cancelled because of Corona pandemic.
o With its establishment India institutionalized its relation at the Pan-Africa
level.
o China had institutionalized relations with Africa in 2000(Forum of China-
Africa Cooperation).
o Other countries like the USA, Japan, EU have also institutionalised their
relations with the African Continent.

2. Trade & investment:-

 o India is the 3rd largest trading partner of Africa with a bilateral trade of
around $70 billion annually.
o India is the 5th largest investor in Africa with a cumulative investment of
$50 billion.
o India’s cooperation with Africa incorporates
--Dams & power projects in Sudan, Rwanda;
--Tech parks in Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho;
--Sugar factories in Ethiopia;
--India has built Presidential Palace in Ghana,
--National Assembly building in the Gambia, etc.

3. Modi has enumerated 10 guiding principles of India’s Africa policy:

o https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-ten-guiding-principles-for-india-
africa-engagement-finding-coherence-in-indias-africa-policy/
o The nature of India’s engagement with Africa has been described as
“Demand-driven and free of conditions”;
o India’s partnership with Africa will be responsive to the needs of the
African countries;

4. India’s political engagement with Africa:

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o There have been around 35 outgoing visits to the African countries at the
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level of President, Vice President, & Prime Minister since 2014 until the
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outbreak of COVID pandemic;

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o No African Country has not been visited by at least a union minister.

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5. Diplomatic presence:
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o India is opening 18 new Embassies in Africa to take the total no of Indian

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missions to 47 out of the total 54 countries in Africa;

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o 9 of the 18 new missions have already been opened in Africa.

6. Individual states in India are directly engaging with the African

countries:

o Eg: Kerala imports Cashew nuts from African countries; Ethiopia & South
Africa seek to learn from the Kudumbashree SHG initiative of Kerala;

China and Africa:

Evidence of the presence of China in Africa:

 i. Institutionalized their relations with Africa starting in 2000 itself- Forum
of China Africa cooperation(FOCAC).
• In June 2022, the first China- Horn of Africa Peace, Governance &
Development Conference was held.
• Beijing appointed its first special envoy for the Horn of Africa.

ii. China has an Africa policy and has a 2030 vision for China Africa
Cooperation:
• It aims to transform the health sector, alleviate poverty, promote trade
and investment and expand digital innovation.
• The vision also focuses on green development, capacity building and
people-to-people exchanges.
• Chinese foreign minister has clarified three Chinese objectives in
Africa:
a) Controlling the pandemic - It was engaged in vaccine
diplomacy in Africa.
b) Implementing FOCAC’s outcomes.
c) Upholding common interests.

iii. China is the largest trading partner of Africa since 2009

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iv. A slew of Chinese infrastructure projects in Africa. Example:
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• It has upgraded Nairobi – Mombasa Railway Link in Kenya.
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• It is building the Bagamoyo port in Tanzania.

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• Djibouti railway line is connecting the landlocked Ethiopian region to Red

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Sea ports.
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• China has also invested in the natural resources of Africa namely oil and
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coal and is interested in minerals such as gold, iron, precious stones,

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chemicals, oil, and natural gas.

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v. African countries especially East African countries are the major

recipients of Chinese financial assistance.
• China accounts for 67% of Kenya’s foreign debt.
• While the common people of Africa vary from China, the governments
have mostly been welcoming. Against the accusations of debt-trapping,
the leaders of African countries have defended the relationship with
China to be mutually beneficial.

Why Africa welcomes Chinese presence:

• It acts as an alternative to the European powers.

• African governments which do not conform to the western standards of
democracy interact better with powers like China and Russia.
 • Financial assistance from the west is often conditional on terms such as
“respect for human lives”, and a strict study of the financial viability of projects.
• While Chinese loans charge relatively higher interest rates are free of such
conditions and more forthcoming under the Chinese.

Reason for the growing Chinese presence in Africa:

• Apart from the economic reasons, the Chinese presence in Africa has a larger
objective.
• It includes the aim to project itself as a regional leader and boost its international
image.
• China presently is focussing on a multifaceted presence in the continent for the
long run.

vi. Security is an important aspect of the co-operation

• China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti. The USA speculates
that China wishes to build military bases in Kenya and Tanzania as
well.
• China had in 2018 launched the China- Africa Defense and Security
Forum.
• In China- Horn of Africa Conference June 2022, China for the first
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time clarified that it wants to play a role in the area of security in the
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region.
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Indian v/s Chinese approach in Africa:

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• India’s engagement with Africa lays emphasis on the long-term-enhancing of

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Africa’s productive capacities, diversifying their skill and knowledge,

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partnership in small and medium size enterprises, etc.

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• China’s approach is more traditional in nature.

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China emphasizes on resource extraction, hard infrastructure development,

and elite-level wealth creation.
• It focuses more on state–state level cooperation, rather than people-people
connection as India does.

Connectivity:

• China seeks to augment the connectivity with and within Africa through BRI.

Asia Africa Growth Corridor(AAGC)/ India Japan Africa Growth Corridor

(IJAGC):

• It is a consultative initiative between three equal partners.

• Unlike BRI, AAGC has identified four pillars of cooperation with Africa:
 a) Development & Cooperation projects.
b) Quality infrastructure and institutional connectivity.
c) Capacity building and skill development.
d) People-to- People contact.

• However, no project has been identified for development under it.

Apart from it, India focuses on cross-border connectivity in Africa in three forms:

• Under SAGAR( Security and Growth for all in the region) and Sagarmala.
• Air connectivity through direct flights between cities of India and Africa.
• Digital connectivity projects: Pan Africa e-network projects namely, e-
Vidyabharti,(Tele-Education) e- Arogyabharti( Tele-Medicine).

Defense and Security Cooperation:

• India’s defense cooperation with Africa is limited to issues like anti-piracy

operations off the coast of Somalia.
• Deployment of Indian forces in United Nations Peace-Keeping Missions.
• India's cooperation is in the nature of capacity-building.
• China supports Africa’s military by providing arms and ammunitions as well as

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the necessary software such as those related to Artificial Intelligence, Big Data,
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etc.
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India’s comparative advantages in Africa:

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1. Enjoys soft power :

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i) India’s support for the struggle for independence for African countries
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ii) India participates in several UN peacekeeping operations in Africa

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iii) India is involved in a slew of development projects in Africa

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iv) India’s vaccine diplomacy

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v) Indian diaspora which predates Britishers in India

2. Geography: The Indian Ocean rather than dividing acts as a bridge between
two India and Africa. Eastern African countries seek India’s role in ensuring
maritime security.
3. India’s expertise in the IT sector, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunication is
much sought after in Africa.
4. Convergence of goals between the two on global platforms vis a vis Climate
change, trade negotiations, etc.
5. India’s ability to work with like-minded countries like Japan.

Way forward:
• India’s engagement in Africa has been limited to its elite diaspora. India needs to
engage with an entire community of the Indian diaspora.
• The common perception is India promises and China delivers. Thus, India needs
to focus on effective project delivery.
• Since, India lacks the deep pockets like that of China, it should involve the private
sector in its various initiatives in Africa. It can cooperate with like-minded countries
like Japan. Projects should be taken up under AAGC initiative of theirs.
• In recent years there have been incidences of racial violence against members of
the African community including in New Delhi. Such incidences check India’s soft
power in Africa. This GOI should sensitize its population as well as security forces
with providing speedy redressal of such grievances.

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