Towards a New Global Partnership
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cover final_Layout 1 10/18/2015 1:39 PM Page 3 INDIA & AFRICA TOWARDS A NEW GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP cover final_Layout 1 10/18/2015 1:40 PM Page 4 INDIA & AFRICA TOWARDS A NEW GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP Conceived and executed by The Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi www.spsindia.in Copyright: Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi k contents 3 Preface 4 India and Africa: Future beckons natural partners 9 Anatomy of India’s Africa policy 14 Keeping the peace at African borders 18 India and Africa: The 3G maritime connectivity 21 Connecting with Africa the e-way 23 Energy: A critical link between two nations 27 Time to address food security, poverty in Africa 30 African patients seek the Indian healing touch 34 ‘I got my life back thanks to Indian doctors’ 38 IAFS 2015: MEA rises to the challenge 42 African footballers making it big in India 46 Indian diaspora in Africa: A binding factor 50 Can India help Africa realise its dream? 54 Morocco: A reformist government, model of moderate Islam 62 New Suez Canal: A dream that came true 69 Angola to prioritise ties with India 74 State Profiles Meenakshi Iyer, Aniket Bhavthankar Angshuman De Conceived and executed by a unit of the Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi (www.spsindia.in) Printed at PRINTWORKS, New Delhi Copyright: Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi 02 Pages-nishant-Q8 final_Layout 1 10/15/2015 1:10 PM Page 3 k preface he Society for Policy Studies (SPS) is privileged to present this special commemorative magazine titled ‘India & Africa: Towards a New Global Partnership’. T India’s African engagement has become more organised and pronounced in the past few years as New Delhi sought to fashion a rejuvenated role for itself in relation to the nations of the African continent. This role is predicated on a mutually beneficial policy framework that endeavours to advance the national interests of India and its African interlocutors in an equitable and empathetic manner. In addition to enhancing investment opportunities, expanding business-trade ties and enhanced diplomatic interface, the key drivers of India’s more recent relations with Africa feature strategic-cum-security objectives linked to the political goals of Indian foreign policy and wider international politics, coupled with the imperatives of sustaining and increasing economic growth amidst high external resource dependence and the prevailing global economic turbulence. In order to engage with the African continent in a more coordinated and focused way, New Delhi is hosting representatives of all 54 African states at the Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) from October 26-29. This Summit is a reiteration of India’s endeavour to showcase its determination to consolidate its relations with its African neighbours who are connected by the ocean. The Summit is an appropriate opportunity for the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to outline his vision about the current contours of India-Africa ties and how best to burnish them in the larger international context. Through the lens of domain experts across a wide spectrum, we have attempted to assess and analyse India-Africa relations from strategic, political, economic and cultural perspectives. It is sincerely hoped that a document of this nature will not only provide an informed perspective on bilateral ties for the uninitiated but will also be a useful knowledge resource for those interested in promoting and developing ties with a continent on the move. On behalf of the Society for Policy Studies (SPS), we would like to express our gratitude to the authors and the African embassies who have contributed to the magazine. TARUN BASU C UDAY BHASKAR President Director 03 Pages-nishant-Q8 final_Layout 1 10/15/2015 1:10 PM Page 4 k foreign policy Rajiv Bhatia India and Africa: Future beckons natural partners A strong national consensus exists in India on deepening the engagement with Africa Africa and India have been in a long-term through mutually enriching exchanges. relationship. In the modern era, Mahatma Gandhi utilised —Wangari Muta Maathai, Africa as the laboratory to invent and perfect his Kenya’s Nobel Laureate innovative tools of Satyagraha that won India her freedom. The country’s first Prime Minister, IN AFRICA’S ‘BIG Five’, the lion enjoys the place Jawaharlal Nehru, strongly believed that India’s of pride. Resurgent India, under Prime Minister freedom would be incomplete without the Narendra Modi’s leadership, views itself as a lion liberation of Asia and Africa from the clutches of full of vigour, ready to seize new opportunities. colonialism and imperialism. Hence free India This combination has produced an apt, blended worked steadfastly and over time in order to image of a lion — with partly African, partly assist the African people in their struggle against Indian face — as the logo for the Third India- colonial rule, apartheid, exploitation and Africa Forum Summit (IAFS). It is a powerful injustice. symbol of the shared histories and dreams of Later, the two became close partners at the African and Indian peoples. It reflects their United Nations and in the Non-Aligned common commitment to foster socio-economic Movement and G-77, wedded to the cause of development and creation of a just world. independence from the super/major powers and It is noteworthy that this is a world where of economic development. Former Prime every third human being is either an African or Minister Manmohan Singh envisioned the 21st an Indian. century as ‘the Century of Asia and Africa.’ In August 2015, Prime Minister Modi stressed LASTING FRIENDSHIP that Africa and the Indian Ocean were ‘among Africa and India have rightly been called ‘the the highest priorities for our foreign policy’. He natural partners.’ The reference here is not also stated: ‘India and Africa share a deep bond merely to the Indian subcontinent being a part of friendship, forged by history, common of the African landmass known as the challenges and a shared journey on the path of Gondwanaland a long time ago, but also to the progress.’ fact that, among all of Africa’s international A strong national consensus thus exists in partners, India has had the oldest and the longest India on deepening the engagement with Africa. association and cooperation with the ‘Mother The process for structured interaction Continent’. Traders, travellers and craftsmen culminating in periodic summits of Heads of from India began going by sea to Africa’s State and Government began with the first IAFS, eastern/southern coast thousands of years ago. held in Delhi in April 2008. This was followed by Africans reciprocated their travels and sojourns IAFS-II in May 2011 in Addis Ababa. Taken 04 Pages-nishant-Q8 final_Layout 1 10/15/2015 1:10 PM Page 5 << Former South African President Nelson Mandela receives the International Gandhi Peace Prize from then Indian President K.R. Narayanan at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on March 16, 2001, as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee looks on The third summit from October 26-29, 2015 is ‘historic’ in the sense that this is the first time India, transcending the ‘Banjul Formula’, has decided to invite all member-states of the African Union rather than only about a third of them. The summit will be preceded by the meetings of India-Africa Business Council and other key events together, they contributed significantly to the and civil society. expansion of mutual cooperation. The third summit from October 26-29, 2015 is TWO KEY QUESTIONS historic in the sense that this is the first time How one may assess objectively the Africa-India India, transcending the Banjul Formula, has relationship today and what needs to be done to decided to invite all member-states of the African strengthen it further are the two key questions Union rather than only about a third of them. that need answers, especially on the eve of the It will be preceded by the meetings of India- summit. Africa Business Council, ministers of commerce, The first question hinges on another senior officials, ministers of foreign affairs, and a preliminary query: are Africa and India series of interactions involving academia, media important to each other in the larger global 05 Pages-nishant-Q8 final_Layout 1 10/15/2015 1:10 PM Page 6 k foreign policy context? The categorical answer is ‘yes’. and Africa, they adopted the ‘Framework for Africa, as a continent of 55 countries (54 of Cooperation’ and also agreed to devise a joint them being members of the African Union), is on plan of action at a continental level. This the trajectory of political and economic framework identified seven specific areas: renaissance. Its significance as an international economic; political; science, technology, role player, as a market, as a resource base and as research and development; social development a natural ally in the global fora, is indisputable. and capacity building; tourism; infrastructure, On the other hand, India as one of the largest energy and environment; and media and and fastest growing economies, as the world’s communications. largest democracy committed to inclusive Three years later, the Addis Ababa development and as a major power in Asia and Declaration portrayed Africa and India as beyond, matters immensely to Africa. This ‘fraternal partners and allies in the struggle for complementarity of needs and capabilities is at independence and achievement of self- the heart of the growing cooperative determination.’ relationship. Indeed, the two sides are linked Upgradation of ‘close partnership’ to through shared values, common interests and ‘strategic partnership’ was reflected in it. The mutual empathy. declaration articulated participants’ satisfaction A related point is about certain basic over the progress in implementation of decisions indicators.