Ruchita Beri is a leading scholar and commentator on African Studies. She is currently Senior Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation. In a career spanning over three decades, she has coordinated the Africa Centre at MP-IDSA, served as President of African Studies Association of India, member of CII’s Africa Committee and Editor of Africa Trends, a bi- annual magazine on Africa.
French Military Presence in Africa
- Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have terminated or plan to terminate defense agreements with France.
- G5 Sahel group (Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Mauritania) initially supported by France, now rejecting French presence.
- France’s intervention (2013–2022) failed to stabilise the region or curb terrorism.
Reasons for Declining French Influence
- Failure to deliver on security objectives; terrorism persists in the Sahel.
- Economic issues: Poverty, corruption, and underdevelopment remain unresolved.
- Local dissatisfaction with perceived neo-colonialism and resource exploitation by France.
- Increasing preference for alternative partners like Russia, China, and India.
Geopolitical Shifts in the Sahel
- Russia’s Wagner Group entering Mali and other regions as France exits.
- Countries exploring partnerships with the Global South (e.g., India, UAE, Turkey) for economic and security support.
- Criticism of “Francafrique” policies for perpetuating dependence and stifling sovereignty.
Impact of Libya’s Fall (2011)
- Arms trafficking and mercenary migration destabilised the Sahel.
- Rise of terror groups like ISIS-linked factions and Boko Haram.
- Ongoing instability linked to poor governance and ethnic conflicts.
India’s Role in Africa
- Long-standing trade and maritime ties, with economic cooperation dating back centuries.
- Recent defence and maritime partnerships with Kenya, Tanzania, and others.
- Focus on capacity building, disaster response, and piracy mitigation in the Indian Ocean.
- Growing interest in supporting Africa’s development and security priorities.
- India’s trade with Africa has deep historical roots, dating back to the first century A.D., facilitated by Indian Ocean trade routes.
- Post-independence, India developed close economic relations with African nations, with trade volumes nearing $100 billion.
- Major trading partners include South Africa and Nigeria, though oil imports from Nigeria have declined.
- India is increasingly focusing on infrastructure, agriculture, and technology investments in Africa.
- India’s military collaboration emphasises capacity building rather than direct intervention.
- Maritime security is a key area, with India assisting African nations in surveillance, anti-piracy operations, and disaster response.
- The Indian Navy has been active in the Gulf of Aden since 2008 to combat piracy and ensure safe trade routes.
India: Recent Partnerships
- Kenya: Cooperation on maritime security and economic development.
- Tanzania: Enhanced defense ties following high-level talks in 2023.
Maritime Interests and Challenges
- Africa’s coastal nations lack strong naval capabilities; India provides training and technical support for Coast Guards and naval forces.
- Rising piracy and security threats in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have renewed India’s focus on maritime security.
- The instability impacts 90% of India’s trade passing through the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
Global South Partnerships
- India is positioning itself as a partner aligned with African nations’ development and sovereignty goals.
- African nations view India as a reliable alternative to Western powers, prioritising equitable and demand-based collaborations.
- India’s partnerships focus on supporting African development priorities rather than imposing neo-colonial influence.
Future Prospects
- India’s interest in Africa is likely to grow, leveraging historical ties and shared Global South identity.
- Potential areas of collaboration include renewable energy, digital technology, healthcare, and agriculture.
- India aims to deepen its presence in Africa while respecting the continent’s sovereignty and development needs.
Challenges Ahead
- Continued instability in the Sahel despite changes in partnerships.
- Uncertainty over whether new alliances can effectively address security and development needs.
In a career spanning three decades and counting, Ramananda (Ram to his friends) has been the foreign editor of The Telegraph, Outlook Magazine and the New Indian Express. He helped set up rediff.com’s editorial operations in San Jose and New York, helmed sify.com, and was the founder editor of India.com.
His work has featured in national and international publications like the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, Global Times and Ashahi Shimbun. But his one constant over all these years, he says, has been the attempt to understand rising India’s place in the world.
He can rustle up a mean salad, his oil-less pepper chicken is to die for, and all it takes is some beer and rhythm and blues to rock his soul.
Talk to him about foreign and strategic affairs, media, South Asia, China, and of course India.
