“India-Africa business linkages have a very long history”: MEA Joint Secretary A Ajay Kumar on bilateral business opportunities, BRICS

ANI | Updated:Sep 16, 2026 09:23IST

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Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 16 (ANI): Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary A Ajay Kumar said that India-Africa relations and business linkages have a long history, with the conference aimed at helping traders and businesses understand and utilise opportunities between the two regions.
Speaking to ANI at the International Conference on India-Africa Business Linkage organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, he said, “India-Africa relations and business linkages have a very long history, and currently, we are doing good trade between both regions…the purpose of this conference is to make traders and businessmen understand the potential of India-Africa business opportunities, make maximum use of those opportunities, and also create business linkages…many African countries coming to BRICS is welcome; it certainly will assist India’s business with Africa,” Kumar said.
Minister of Investment and Tourism at the High Commission of Ghana in India, Kwasi Agyemang Gyan-Tutu, said that India and African countries should build on their longstanding cultural ties to deepen commerce and focus on adding value.


Speaking to ANI, he said, “We have a very long-standing relationship between Africa and India; what I think we should be doing is to use the deep cultural roots to deepen our commerce. For now, as I explained, most of African countries are moving from being raw material producers to adding value, and we want India to also take the challenge and add value to whatever they want to pick from Africa.”
On the recently concluded BRICS Summit 2026 hosted by India in Delhi and its focus on Global South development, Agyemang said the discussions should translate into concrete agreements.
“As a matter of fact, what I see is that, more often than not, such conferences and summits end up… we talk, we go, and nothing happens. What I expect is a situation where after this, we would actually be on the ground. So that whatever we said here would not be only on paper or on radio and television, but rather we have compact agreements that we can have visualised back home in Africa,” he said.
Managing Director of Manaksia Steels Limited, Varun Agrawal, said there are significant opportunities for Indian companies in Africa, drawing on his experience of working on the continent.


Speaking to ANI, he said, “I see that there are a lot of opportunities in Africa, and being in Africa for the last 30 years gives me immense confidence that other Indian companies can also come to Africa and create jobs and create value there as well,” Agrawal said.
On the recent BRICS Summit hosted by India and its impact on India-Africa relations, Agrawal said African countries were working closely with the grouping.
“Africa has been a part of the BRICS as far as South Africa is concerned. And now Nigeria has also been an invitee in the BRICS Summit. Last time, they were invited. So I think they are working very closely with the government. And fortunately, our Prime Minister is very, very keen that India… the BRICS, practically, you know, they should work closely with each other and also work with the African nations,” he said.

Former Ambassador to Africa Mahesh Sachdev said India and Africa have had strong business ties, while the current geopolitical situation has made greater economic cooperation important.


Speaking to ANI, he said, “India and Africa have had strong business ties for quite some time, and these are quite vibrant. But the current context makes it even more important and forward-looking. Why? Because there is global turbulence. Geopolitically speaking, there’s Ukraine war; also a war between Iran and the United States that is refusing to die down. It has led to a huge impact on the global economy in terms of shortages of commodities such as crude oil, LNG, fertilisers, soybean oil, and wheat, etc.”
“The choke points in Bab-el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz are blocked. So Indian exports to these countries or through these… the choke points are affected, and that makes Africa doubly important for us. Why? We need to source these commodities from other markets, other sources, and Africa is a prominent one in that,” he added.
“We need to find alternate markets for our exports of goods and services, which used to go to the Gulf, which used to go to the North African part through the Suez Canal and Red Sea. We need to find them somewhere else, and the African continent is important for… as an alternative. So, put together, I think current geopolitics adds an important underpinning to India’s quest for greater economic synergy with Africa,” Sachdev said.
On the impact of the BRICS Summit on India-Africa relations, Sachdev said India had strengthened its engagement with African countries through the grouping.
“I think you are aware that three African countries are now members of BRICS: Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Furthermore, India took the initiative to invite Burundi as the head of the African Union, and the President of Burundi was there as well,” he said. 
“So, put together, India has synergised through the prism of BRICS its ties with Africans. They were… they had… Prime Minister had bilateral ties with the heads of delegations of these four countries, and that led to greater understanding, greater synergy at the political level. I think it all bodes very well for the future,” Sachdev added.
Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Ndayishimiye at Bharat Mandapam on the sidelines of the now-concluded 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
President Ndayishimiye attended the BRICS Summit as a representative of the African Union. 
During their meeting, the two leaders recalled India’s role in bringing the African Union into the G20 fold during India’s presidency in 2023. They stressed that the India-African Union partnership is a key pillar of cooperation within the Global South and discussed the early convening of IAFS-IV at a mutually convenient date.
Prime Minister Modi commended the African Union leadership for successfully combating the Ebola outbreak, while the AU Chairperson appreciated India’s medical support to Africa CDC to help mitigate the outbreak. 
The visit had come as India hosted the now-concluded two-day BRICS summit under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.  (ANI)