India-Africa ties are grounded not only in shared struggles for independence but also in a collective aspiration for development, prosperity and a more equitable global order, says External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Speaking at the Africa Day celebrations in New Delhi, he highlighted the enduring strength of the India-Africa partnership. “There has always been a deeply held view in India that our independence would not be complete until Africa secured hers. That logic today extends to development. Our connect, our empathy and our solidarity with Africa remain unwavering.”
India-Africa: Partners Beyond Transactions
India’s approach to Africa differs fundamentally from extractive or one-sided partnerships, the minister said in a veiled jibe at China. Instead, India believes in inclusive, demand-driven development, building local capacities and fostering self-reliant ecosystems, he added.
From sharing digital infrastructure and providing vocational training to establishing educational institutions across the continent, India has played a crucial role in Africa’s journey toward self-sustaining growth. Examples include the IIT Zanzibar campus in Tanzania, a forensic sciences university in Uganda and IT centres in multiple African nations.
India has trained more than 37,000 Africans under its ITEC and ICCR programmes over the past decade. Healthcare, education, agriculture and digital empowerment are core pillars of cooperation.
Global South
The minister said India and Africa are two key pillars of the Global South and must collaborate more closely in the face of ongoing global inequities—ranging from the failures of vaccine equity during the pandemic to limited African representation on multilateral platforms.
“Those who question the Global South will never understand it; those who get it will never question it,” Jaishankar remarked, reinforcing India’s firm advocacy for African voices on the world stage, including its support for the African Union’s G20 membership and reforms to the United Nations Security Council in line with the Ezulweni Consensus and Sirte Declaration.
India-Africa Ties: Trade, Security And Infrastructure
India is currently Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade nearing US $100 billion. Investments in IT, pharmaceuticals, mining and infrastructure amount to over US $75 billion. As the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gathers momentum, India anticipates deeper integration of African economies with global value chains.
Security and maritime cooperation remain high priorities. India has scaled its engagement from SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) to MAHASAGAR, strengthening anti-piracy operations, search and rescue efforts and humanitarian assistance in the Indian Ocean Region—strategic for both India and Africa.
Reparations And Historical Injustice
In line with the 2025 Africa Day theme—Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations—Jaishankar acknowledged the shared colonial legacy and called for a genuine reckoning with history.
“We in India can fully empathise with Africa’s pain, having faced colonial exploitation ourselves. While political independence may have been achieved, the legacy of injustice persists in today’s economic and institutional inequalities,” he noted.
He highlighted the need for global accountability and a fairer, more inclusive world order, grounded in justice and mutual respect.
Towards India-Africa Summit IV
Jaishankar looked ahead to the upcoming India-Africa Forum Summit IV, expected to renew and modernise the strategic partnership based on Africa’s evolving priorities. “We believe that India and Africa must engage and work closely together. A more contemporary agenda of cooperation will take our historic ties to new heights,” he said.
