Addis Ababa [Ethiopia], October 10 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the need for India and Africa to strengthen their historic partnership, advance self-reliance and push for reforms in global institutions, saying both sides must be fairly represented in international decision-making and have the freedom to shape their own future.
Addressing a gathering at the Adwa Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa, Jaishankar on Friday said India and Africa shared developmental aspirations, historical experiences and a commitment to a more equitable global order, adding that their partnership must evolve to meet contemporary challenges.
“India and Africa have developed a tradition of working hand in hand in international forums, and that continues to this day… Our relationship must evolve and keep pace with the times,” he said.
Highlighting the development goals of both sides, Jaishankar said India was pursuing the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, marking the centenary of its independence, while Africa had outlined its aspirations through ‘Agenda 2063’.
“Today, India is pursuing the goal of Viksit Bharat, or developed India, by 2047. We seek to transform ourselves by the centenary of our independence. Africa, likewise, has articulated its own vision through Agenda 2063, which outlines the Africa we want,” he said.
He said both sides recognised the importance of infrastructure and connectivity, placed technology and human capital at the centre of development, and sought greater opportunities for women and young people. They also shared an understanding of the need to ensure sustainable growth and strengthen self-reliance.
“Likewise, we know that development is best served by self-reliance. That conviction provides ap,” Jaishankar said
The minister said India was Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade turnover nearing USD 100 billion. Indian investments across the continent span manufacturing, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, financial services and information technology.
“We strongly encourage our businesses to view Africa as an investment destination of choice. Indian businesses, as a rule, have created local employment, encouraged value addition and strengthened African national economies,” he said.
Jaishankar said the distinctive feature of India’s engagement with Africa was its broader approach, guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Kampala Principles articulated in 2018.
“Africa will remain among India’s highest priorities, he declared,” Jaishankar said, referring to PM Modi’s articulation of India’s engagement with the continent.
He also highlighted the potential for cooperation in digital governance, including digital identity, payments, financial inclusion and public service delivery.
“Whether in digital identity, payments, financial inclusion or the delivery of public services, there is great scope for working together in these domains,” he said.
Jaishankar said India and Africa were confronted by an outdated global order that often disregarded their interests, alleging that conscious efforts were being made to delay reforms and undermine change.
“India and Africa cannot remain unrepresented or underrepresented in global decision-making,” he said.
He recalled India’s efforts during its G20 presidency in 2023 to secure permanent membership for the African Union, saying the same principle applied to the reform of the United Nations Security Council.
“The current Council neither delivers effectively nor represents fairly. The two shortcomings are clearly interconnected. This decade has seen the UN slide steadily into irrelevance, helpless in the face of major challenges,” he said.
Jaishankar said the objective of reform was not simply to increase the number of seats at the existing table, but to make global governance more democratic, responsive and representative, thereby making the United Nations more capable and credible.
“Where Africa is concerned, it must be represented fairly in both categories of UN Security Council membership, in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sette Declaration,” he said.
Jaishankar traced India-Africa relations to several millennia, saying the Indian Ocean had connected the two regions through commerce, migration, cultural exchanges and shared traditions long before modern diplomacy emerged.
“India’s relationship with Africa did not begin with the emergence of modern nation-states. It cannot be measured merely in decades or, I would say, even in centuries. Its roots stretch back several millennia, long before the terminology and nomenclature of our times entered the diplomatic lexicon,” he said.
He noted that the Indian Ocean facilitated the movement of people, ideas, languages, food habits, musical traditions, cultural practices, faiths and philosophies between the two regions.
Referring to historical links between western India and East Africa, he said merchants from Gujarat had established a familiar presence along the East African coast, while communities of Indian origin settled in Africa and communities of African origin became part of Indian society.
“Even today, the Siddhis of India remind us that the Indian Ocean was never simply a body of water separating our two continents. It was a highway of human interaction. It connected us before modern diplomacy discovered us, or we discovered modern diplomacy,” he said.
Jaishankar also recalled the shared experience of colonial domination, saying economies and borders had been reordered to serve external interests, reity frequently denied
He said India’s understanding of Africa’s struggle for freedom was rooted in its own experience of colonialism.
“Indians followed Africa’s struggle with empathy because we understood it instinctively, and Africa, in turn, became deeply intertwined with India’s own freedom story,” he said.
Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s time in Africa and his role in the freedom movement, Jaishankar quoted Nelson Mandela’s words: “You gave us Mohandas Gandhi, we gave you the Mahatma.”
He said India had consistently opposed colonialism and apartheid, adding that African freedom was not a distant geopolitical issue for New Delhi but part of the unfinished business of its own freedom.
“As African nations achieved independence, this solidarity acquired institutional form,” he said.
Jaishankar highlighted the expansion of India’s cooperation with African countries in digital payments, space, drones and artificial intelligence.
“UPI, which is our cashless payment platform, has already reached Mauritius and is being taken forward elsewhere. We are also deeply invested in space and drone technologies. They offer scope for new partnerships,” he said.
On artificial intelligence, he said India’s advocacy of an inclusive, responsible and human-centric approach could resonate with African partners.
He also highlighted India’s role as ae COVID-19 pandemic
“India has long been a dependable role in filling the gap between affordability and survival,” he said
Jaishankar said India supplied more than 40 million doses of made-in-India vaccines to 42 African nations during the pandemic, even as countries across the world turned inward.
He stressed the importance of developing local capacities to strengthen health security and said India was willing to partner with African countries in this effort.
“Local capacities must grow to ensure health security. India is a willing partner for Africa in that regard. We are encouraging our pharmaceutical companies to localise production in this continent,” he said.
Jaishankar arrived in Ethiopia on Thursday as part of his three-nation African tour, which also included visits to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. (ANI)
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