India's engagement with Africa built on decades of solidarity

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) set to be held in New Delhi from May 28–31 marks the revival of India's flagship engagement with Africa after11 years. The summit demonstrates India's determination to elevate Africa to the centre of its global strategy, a report has detailed.

As New Delhi prepares to host leaders from the African continent, one message is becoming clear that if Africa wants to have a partner that understands its challenges, respects its sovereignty, and invests in its long-term success, few nations are better positioned than India.

"The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit is expected to produce new initiatives in trade, health, defence, education, digital infrastructure, and critical minerals. After more than a decade since the previous summit in 2015, it signals India’s determination to elevate Africa to the center of its global strategy," Rishi Suri wrote in Global Order.

"For African nations, the summit offers access to a trusted partner that respects sovereignty and delivers practical solutions. For India, it represents an opportunity to deepen ties with one of the most dynamic regions of the twenty-first century," the author further stated.

The timing of the summit could not be more significant. Africa is projected to account for one-quarter of the world's population by 2050. The African continent has reserves of critical minerals, some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and an increasingly youthful and entrepreneurial population. At the same time, African nations want to develop partnership with nations who offer genuine collaboration instead of dependency, capacity building instead of coercion, and respect instead of lectures.

"India’s engagement with Africa is not a recent geopolitical calculation. It is built on decades of solidarity. From the anti-colonial struggles of the twentieth century to the Non-Aligned Movement, India and African nations have often stood together in pursuit of sovereignty and development. Mahatma Gandhi refined his philosophy of nonviolent resistance in South Africa. Jawaharlal Nehru supported African liberation movements, and India consistently backed the struggle against apartheid," the Global Order report stated.

"These historic bonds created a reservoir of goodwill that continues to shape relations today. Unlike many external powers, India does not carry the burden of a colonial past in Africa. It is seen as a fellow developing nation that has faced similar challenges and achieved progress through democratic governance, institution building, and technological innovation," it added.

India focuses on local priorities instead of applying one-size-fits-all solutions. In the past 20 years, India has extended billions of dollars in concessional lines of credit, developed power plants, rural electrification networks, water systems, and educational institutions in African continent. Thousands of African students study in Indian universities every year. The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme has trained thousands of African professionals in several sectors, including information technology and public administration.

--IANS

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