INDIA-AFRICA RELATIONS

From the days of common struggle against colonialism to an evolving and multidimensional 21st century partnership under the framework of South-South Cooperation, the Africa-India partnership has come a long way. As the world transitions to post-pandemic optimism, India and Africa are gradually emerging as twin growth centres, transcending their multi-faceted partnership to a new level.

Globally, both India and Africa are at the heart of progressive conversations. Guided by the ‘Kampala Principles’—a set of 10 principles enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 during his address to the Ugandan Parliament, the mutually beneficial relationship between India and Africa continue to be on an upward trajectory. Health, digital, and green growth are the sectors where India and Africa are currently emphasising their partnership. India’s bilateral trade with Africa reached US$ 89.5 billion in 2021-2022 compared with US$ 56 billion the previous year.  India’s exports to Africa accounts for 5.2 percent of Africa’s global imports, whereas India’s imports accounted for 7 percent in the continent’s global exports in 2020. This shows that India is Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner.

India is among the top five preferred countries for African students seeking higher education abroad. More than 25,000 African students are currently enrolled in various universities all around India, as per the Association for African Students in India. Going forward, India’s knowledge diplomacy with Africa has a lot of potential.