From Summits to Structures: Rethinking the India-Africa Partnership – India-Africa Forum Summit, 4th India-Africa Forum Summit, India-Africa relations
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From Summits to Structures: Rethinking the India-Africa Partnership
- Technology & Economy
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- Jul 07, 2026
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- 10 min read
The third India-Africa Forum Summit in 2015, in New Delhi. | Press Information Bureau, India
The 4th India-Africa Forum Summit stands as a top foreign policy priority to ensure that the gains India has painstakingly stacked up over the years are not diluted and it retains its credibility as a developmental partner for the continent
In 2025, the 55 countries belonging to the African continent collectively touched a GDP growth rate of 4.2 per cent, with as many as 22 countries crossing the 5 per cent mark and 12 countries counted among the top 20 fastest growing world economies, according to the African Development Bank macroeconomic outlook of January 2026. By any standards, this is a remarkable feat, given that the continent is home to 33 of the 44 countries that are listed in the category of ‘least developed country’ by the United Nations.
Africa’s healthy growth rate and economic resilience constituted the backdrop for the Fourth India Africa Forum Summit which was to be held in New Delhi at the end of May. However, just a week before the summit, India and the African Union deferred the conference due to healthcare concerns regarding the spread of Ebola
Notably, the IAFS was being organised more than a decade after the third such summit was hosted by New Delhi in October 2015; this was also delayed by a year due to the outbreak of Ebola. Despite the intent to meet every five years, the summit due in 2020 was derailed by Covid-19 and other geopolitical developments in the intervening period
The deferment of the 4th IAFS represents yet another setback for the two sides to revive the convening and deepen joint efforts towards greater economic cooperation
The global context for India-Africa relations has transformed since the last summit meeting in 2015. The shifting of global economic influence from traditional to emerging economies, intensified competition for resources including critical minerals and materials, and the imperative of diversification of markets and sources create new compulsions for India to redefine its strategic developmental engagement with the African continent. The summit is a key platform for this, and should be a top priority for the two sides once the health situation improves.
Shared Challenges and Opportunities
As developing economies, the African continent and India feel the same pain of disrupted development paths arising from geopolitical situations that they have no part in and that are outside their control. There is a natural convergence between India and Africa, with both sides attempting to stabilise their economies, explore new avenues of growth, and diversify external partnerships for enhanced economic resilience
Deepening and widening trade and investment exchanges across the Indian Ocean will help both sides to circumvent conflict centres and create mutual interdependencies in key areas such as energy, critical minerals, machinery and electronics, agriculture and food security, and digital and financial connectivity
An Indian delegation led by Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, led an Indian delegation to Cape Town, South Africa for Mining Indaba 2026, February 2026. | Ministry of Mines, Government of India
As two key pillars of the Global South, the India-Africa economic relationship can further leverage demographic, reommitment to Africa’s development during its G20 presidency in 2023 and ensured that the 55-member African Union became part of this grouping
It has also opened 17 new missions in Africa following a decision in 2018 to expand its footprint on the continent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has traveled to African countries ten times since the 2015 IAFS, touching down in South Africa, Egypt, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya and several other countries, with the most recent visit being to Seychelles in June 2026
The economic complementarities between India and Africa are compelling. Both enjoy large, growing and youthful populations, combining 1.4 billion people in India and 1.6 billion in Africa. While its natural resources are most often counted among Africa’s advantages, the continent also enjoys thriving economies encompassing agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and services sectors, which synergize well with India’s developmental aspirations. A ‘living bridge’ of 3.5 million Indian diaspora present in Africa adds to the overall economic cooperation endeavour.
Economic Relations: Trade, Investment and Development Partnership
Trade is an important contributor to growth for both regions, with sub-Saharan Africa’s exports of goods and services accounting for 28.3 per cent of its GDP and India’s ratio at 21.2 per cent in 2024. The landmark African Continental Free Trade Agreement was operationalized in 2021 to build a common African market but the progress in its implementation has been patchy as not all members have ratified the agreement. Infrastructure gaps, non-tariff barriers and preference for trading with partners outside the continent continue to limit its efficacy. However, intra-African trade has increased under the agreement and is likely to further go up.
India has been steadily building its trade and investment relations with Africa. Bilateral trade surged after Covid-19, with India’s exports to Africa at USD 43.3 billion, rising from USD 26 billion in 2015. Imports from Africa have expanded at a slower pace from USD 34 billion in 2015 to USD 40 billion in 2024, a decline from a peak in 2022 primarily owing to lower fuel and gold imports from the continent. India aims to achieve a trade target of USD 200 billion by 2030
India-Africa trade figures for the 2021-2025 period. | International Trade Centre
India has focused on regional and sectoral trade diversification over the years, reaching out to more partners and broadening its basket of traded goods. In 2025, India was Africa’s third-largestAfrica comprise manufactured goods including refined oil, pharmaceuticals, vehicles and machinery as well as cereals
India also ranks sixth as a destination for Africa’s exports. Its imports from Africa remain concentrated in commodities with crude oil and gold accounting for about 60 per cent of the aggregate. Copper and cashew nuts follow in the list of top imports. India’s Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme offers zero-duty import benefits to 33 African least-developing countries (LDCs)
India’s investment in Africa is robust, crossing USD 80 billion cumulatively. Key sectors of interest include pharmaceuticals, telecom and IT, mining, consumer products and so on, benefiting from the growing markets. The country also aims to enhance technology transfer and sharing of knowledge with African partners, undertaking proactive development programmes for skill development, capacity building under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) scheme and infrastructure projects. A number of Indian companies are active in Africa, working with local players to deepen their footprint in the domestic market.
Development partnership stands as a bedrock of the economic relationship. India’s Lines of Credit aggregating USD 10 billion and grant assistance since 2015 of USD 700 million have supported hundreds of projects across Africa, with a total of 220 projects completed in sectors such as power, agriculture and digital connectivity. The flagship e-Vidya Bharati and e-Arogya Bharati digital connectivity projects have boosted tele-education and tele-medicine connectivity between the two sides
Progress and Gaps
The 3rd IAFS was held with the theme ‘Partners in Progress: Towards a Dynamic and Transformative Development Agenda.’ The Delhi Declaration section on economic cooperation prioritised long term capital flows to Africa, trade facilitation and support to MSMEs. The 4th IAFS was envisaged with the theme of ‘IA SPIRIT: India Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience and Inclusive Transformation.’ Speaking at the Africa Day event in May 2025, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar expressed the hope that the fourth edition of IAFS would work towards contemporising bilateral cooperation to realise Africa’s priorities.
India’s positioning in the continent as a reliable and trustworthy economic partner derives not only from its high rank as a trade and investment partner but also from the narrative underpinning its developmental cooperation. At his address at the Parliament of Uganda in 2018, Prime Minister Modi outlined ten principles for India’s engagement with Africa
Placing Africa at the top of India’s external engagement, he reiterated that the development partnership would be guided by African priorities, creating local capacities and opportunities. The principles included an emphasis on open markets, digital cooperation, agriculture and climate change, among others. Abjuring an extractive and exploitative relationship focused solely on acquiring Africa’s rich natural resources, India has attempted to work with local governments and communities, invest in human talent and capacity building, and share its successes in areas such as healthcare, agriculture and digital public services.
India and Africa have been remiss in delaying the IAFS process, given the multiple crucial global transitions underway across the spheres of trade, industrial policy, technology, climate action and the overall jostling among major powers. India appears to be drifting away from interacting with the continent as a whole, instead opting to deepen its bilateral cooperation with individual African nations and engage with regional platforms including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Southern African Customs Union (SACU), East African Community (EAC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Given the size, complexity and diverse nature of the continent, this helps India to focus its Africa strategy. At the same time, Africa is attempting to build its continental identity and craft integrated and connected economic strategies to support its developmental agenda. India must therefore strengthen its continent-wide engagement, supported by regional and bilateral components while working with the African Union on its Agenda 2063
Although over 200 projects have been completed in Africa – which is a top-two beneficiary of India’s development aid – bureaucratic hurdles, governance gaps and procedural delays from both sides have led to underutilisation of their gains and dented India’s credibility in the region. With isolated projects, India also falls short in building its visibility among African nations
Further, India’s presence and activities are not consistent across the continent. For example, India’s exports to West Africa surpass USD 13 billion, with exports to the North African region at USD 7 billion and the Central African region of 7 countries at USD 1.3 billion. The Indian private sector too remains hesitant about investing and operating in Africa, finding the business climate uncertain and risky
This stands in contrast to other countries showing alacrity in strengthening ties with Africa as a continent of massive resources and potential for growth. South Korea hosted the Korea-Africa foreign ministers’ meeting just a few days after the date of the cancelled IAFS, focusing on supply-chains and critical minerals. The G7 summit in June 2026 took forward its Critical Minerals Action Plan of last year with a Declaration on Securing Supply Chains for Critical Minerals where Africa is bound to play a key role.
Institutionalising the Partnership for Impact
India needs to now shift from a somewhat episodic partnership to a structured action plan anchored by institutional mechanisms. The government’s broader economic agenda for Africa is evident in the annual India-Africa industry conventions hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which outline many sectors of cooperation in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
The latest CII research report for Africa identifies opportunities in agriculture and food security; manufacturing and industrialisation; education, skill development, and capacity building; healthcare and pharmaceuticals; the green economy; critical minerals; power and energy; digital and physical infrastructure; defence and space; and micro, small, and medium and small enterprises (MSMEs)
The two sides must consider strategies for deepening India-Africa cooperation in such identified sectors
First, institutionalising discussion forums will help to jointly identify focus areas for collaboration and evolve actionable plans of mutual interest. India may consider establishing a diplomatic mission for Africa to be tasked with cooperation with the continent as a whole, on the lines of the Indian Mission to ASEAN. This can be supported with a specific India-Africa Economic Council with the inclusion of diplomatic personnel as well as industry and experts from both sides to undertake research and implement and monitor all programs.
Two, since the African continent is geographically extensive and multiple areas of bilateral cooperation have been outlined, dedicated sectoral organisations could be established by both sides. These organisations could work with local governments and bodies to extend their reach and could include a contributory fund for operations. For instance, a specific India-Africa Agriculture and Food Security Institute would consolidate actions across the continent and help to connect Indian and African agricultural systems and technologies, work on local capacity-building, boost productivity and expand trade in agricultural products. Similarly, an India-Africa Digital Partnership Centre could engage in areas such as digital connectivity, digital public goods, digital literacy, cyber security, digital finance and so on. The aim of the regional and sectoral bodies would be to devise concrete projects and ensure their on-ground implementation.
In particular, India needs to be able to adequately leverage Africa’s resources. This is especially vital in the area of critical minerals, where Africa is home to 30 per cent of resources. India aims to develop manufacturing capacity in sectors such as semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, and other products dependent on critical minerals. So far, India has been in exploratory mode with a few memorandums signed with various African countries by Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), India’s public sector enterprise tasked to develop international collaborations for critical minerals and rare earths. It must move at a much faster pace to tap African supplies across the value chain before the opportunity is ceded to other players.
Three, greater private sector participation stands as an imperative for deepening the economic relationship. In fact, the private sectors of both sides need to take a lead in this objective themselves; however, this will require consistent government backing and support. Currently, private sector initiatives are mostly confined to large investments by leading Indian private companies and public sector enterprises, with smaller Indian enterprises reluctant to venture into the African market. Adequate credit, risk cover and credit guarantee along with an investment facilitation desk and a sustained information campaign on bilateral opportunities could help.
Four, a focus on finance will be central to the economic endeavour, both for governmental projects as well as to encourage private sector cooperation
The Indian Government can work on expanding the lines of credit and setting up a dedicated Africa development fund to mobilise financing and lower costs for the private sector. Blended finance, credit guarantees and concessional loans in partnership with international developmental organisations and third countries could help expand fund availability for businesses to align with the African continent’s opportunities and growing markets
Finally, it will be crucial to sustain and intensify high-level bilateral visits and institutionalise a regular dialogue mechanism with the AU, similar to the summits being held with ASEAN, EU and individual countries. Such inter-governmental consultations offer an opportunity to develop innovative partnerships and common approaches to tackling global issues of concern to both sides as developing economies
Conclusion
India and Africa have laid a solid foundation of economic cooperation, with India positioned as a key partner in Africa’s development while creating opportunities for both sides. Building on their shared developmental aspirations, dynamic economies and longstanding ties, the two regions must now target the next level of economic cooperation and collaborate more closely to shape the emerging agenda of the Global South
The 4th India-Africa Forum Summit stands as a top foreign policy priority to ensure that the gains India has painstakingly stacked up over the years are not diluted and it retains its credibility as a developmental partner for the continent
[The article is exclusive to NatStrat. The views expressed by the author(s) are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organisation.]
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