Day 47 – Q 2.Examine the growing importance of Africa for India and also the need of revitalising relations with the continent.
2. Examine the growing importance of Africa for India and also the need of revitalising relations with the continent.
भारत के लिए अफ्रीका के बढ़ते महत्व और महाद्वीप के साथ संबंधों को पुनर्जीवित करने की आवश्यकता की जांच करें।
Introduction:
Africa is now being tipped as the global economic growth engine of the coming decades. Its vast natural wealth and favourable demographic profile are expected to turn the continent as a whole into a growth engine that is expected to run faster than any of the world’s current economic powerhouses, including China, Brazil and India.
Body:
Over the years India has increased its outreach to Africa in number of ways:
- India-Africa forum summit, biggest foreign policy event hosted by India in more than three decades.
- Provided human and financial resources. Ex: $10 billion concessional credit line.
- Contribution to development of social sector through development of Pan Africa e-network.
This outreach indicates growing significance of Africa for India, driven by following interests.
- With faster growth trajectory for India and need for energy and other resources, Africa remains a crucial source of natural resources.
Ex: crude oil and gas has emerged as Africa’s leading export to India, diversifying sources of supply from middle-east. - For developing new markets. Most African countries will be “middle income” by 2025 providing huge trade and investments opportunities as well as market for Indian exports.
- Africa remains vital for India’s emergence as a global actor in the international institutional arena. Ex: In reforming existing global governance structures like U.N. Security Council (UNSC), and shape the emerging global regimes related to food, energy, climate, water, cyber security, and use of outer space for development purposes.
Need for revitalising relations with continent:
- China factor: increasing Chinese presence (military base at Djibouti) and signs of Chinese neo-colonialism.
- Still do not have embassies in all African countries.
- To achieve sustained economic growth over long term at a time when western economies show signs of saturation and increasing protectionism in global trade.
- Terrorism: International terrorism has been on the rise in Africa in recent years. While India is not directly affected by the localized terrorist organizations in Africa, the troubling links between Somali and other groups with militant groups in the Afghanistan and Pakistan region could significantly threaten India’s future security.
- Secure freedom of navigation in sea lines of communication protecting India’s international trade moving by sea.
Conclusion:
In this context, Asia-Africa growth corridor is a welcome step combining soft power of India with technological and financial resources of Japan. Sustaining the complex and multifaceted India-Africa relationship requires multiple and more frequent processes of engagement involving not only government-to-government interaction but also the private sector, state governments as well as civil society.
Best answer: Suraj sharma
