Courtesy: ANI
On a recent visit to Tanzania, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced the establishment of the first overseas campus of the premier Indian Institute of Technology Madras on its islands of Zanzibar in Africa. The choice of Zanzibar is significant: 180 years ago, it was the very first interface between Indian merchants and the East African mainland.
Courtesy: The Hindu
India’s rise as a global player is linked to the kind of relationship it enjoys with African countries, especially as the latter is undergoing demographic, political, and socioeconomic transitions. A new report on the India-Africa partnership recommends a resilient ‘Africa policy’ that will collectively enhance diplomatic, defense, cultural, and developmental collaboration between the two countries.
Courtesy: Toppr
While India must do justice to its diverse responsibilities as steward to the G20, it has a special duty and priority: to advance the Africa agenda while serving as a powerful bridge between the developed and developing parts of the world.
Courtesy: Routledge India
Nearly two decades since the launch of the India Development Initiative, India-Africa relations have evolved. This book by Rajiv Bhatia, a former high-ranking IFS officer, takes a deep dive into Indo-African engagement. Bhatia outlines the history and presents concise yet informative capsules of India's relationship with individual African countries. It is a useful roadmap for companies looking to do business there.
Courtesy: Routledge India
India has a long-standing and unique relationship with Africa. However, China's presence and influence has resulted in geopolitical competition, with the two Asian nations vying to expand and deepen their engagement with Africa. Beijing's footprint is considerable, with a long-term strategic objective. To strengthen ties with the continent, New Delhi must match Beijing's ascendancy and lay down mutually beneficial goals. The excerpt from this expansive book on Indo-African engagement examines the Chinese presence in Africa, African agency in external partnerships and the importance of recognising African needs to devise better policies by competing nations.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The new Omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused concern across the globe, especially in Africa. India has shown solidarity with the continent, extending supplies of Made in India vaccines, drugs and medical equipment. Despite some setbacks, there is vast potential for Indo-African collaboration based on strategic advantages and mutual goals.
Courtesy: T20 Italy 2021
Public digital infrastructure encourages competition, innovation and inclusion. Through India Stack and Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), the Indian experience offers developing countries a path to leapfrog the development phase for digital platforms. Open-source systems offer countries an opportunity to establish low-cost public identity, financial and data exchange systems. This policy brief explains how the G20's support of such platforms will accelerate adoption, allowing developing countries to advance digital usage.
Courtesy: www.mapsofindia.com
Africa is a foreign policy priority for India, but evidence shows a recent decline in bilateral trade and investment. There is already a "third scramble" for geopolitical influence in Africa. Now is the time for India to make new commitments in the continent: developing and deepening links in health, space and digital technologies.
Courtesy: Gateway House
The recently concluded CII-Exim Bank Conclave on the India-Africa Project Partnership elicited in-depth discussions on how to increase economic cooperation between the two countries. Three themes emerged, the infrastructure deficit continuing to be one of Africa’s greatest preoccupations
Courtesy: MEA/ Flickr
President Ram Nath Kovind’s first official visit as Indian president to Djibouti and Ethiopia earlier this month marks a continuation of the diplomatic outreach to Africa even though the proposed Asia Africa Growth Corridor seems to have received small mention