Vantage | How and why India is betting on Africa's rise

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is visiting Africa. Two countries specifically: Uganda and Nigeria. In Uganda, he attended the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit. India was among the founders of this group. This was during the Cold War years. The idea was to not align with any camp. After the Cold War, the group struggled for relevance, and now the world is divided again, but this time in more than two camps. So what purpose does NAM serve? “A multipolar world with a reformed United Nations at its core is key. Economic decentralisation with greater regional production is so as well. But we must also press for cultural rebalancing where all heritage is mutually respected,” said Jaishankar. ‘A reformed United Nations and a multipolar world order.’ These goals top India’s diplomatic agenda, and Africa wants the same. This makes the continent of 54 countries—Africa—an important partner for India. The second-largest continent in the world has been largely ignored in the current western-led world order.

Not a single African country has a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council. They don’t get the representation they deserve. India is trying to change some of that. It has championed the cause of Africa. You saw what happened at the G20 summit, where India was the president. New Delhi pushed for the entry of the African Union into the intergovernmental forum, effectively making the G20—G21. Now India is advocating for a reformed UN. It is talking about economic de-centralisation.

My remarks at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos https://t.co/jzbuDRCZIi

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 22, 2024

Today, currency, trade, and tourism are weapons. While globalisation has had many positive results, it has also undeniably led to such deep economic concentrations that much of the world today depends on the production of a few geographies. Jaishankar said this in Nigeria, his second stop on this Africa tour. He chose Nigeria to bring up globalisation. He said the concept is being weaponised. Obviously, he was hinting at the ongoing conflicts—the wars in Ukraine and West Asia. They disrupt free trade, obstruct the movement of goods, and limit the freedom to travel. Overall, the world is left with fewer trade channels. Needless to say, this hurts the developing world more, including countries like India and Nigeria, where governments must support large populations. Globalisation is the biggest cause of conflict, but together, India and Africa can contain the damage. They can do this by synergising and expanding supply chains. New Delhi is making significant investments in Africa. Jaishankar spoke about that too: “If there are some big geopolitical bets India is taking, it is on the rise of Africa. We are betting that in the next decade, we are going to see amazing transformation here.” “India is betting on Africa’s rise.” It is opening doors for Indian corporations. They’re being encouraged to invest in Africa. The progress has been steady; India is already among Africa’s top five investors. So far, almost 200 projects have been completed. Another 65 are underway, and 81 are in the pipeline. India’s trade with Africa is also rising. It has crossed 95 billion dollars a year. India is offering concessional loans to African partners. So far, it has granted over 12 billion dollars. Also, there’s potential for a lot more, because this is a relationship based on mutual interest and common goals. That is not to say there won’t be challenges. There’s a new scramble for Africa; China, Russia, the US, and Europe are all looking to make the most of it. India cannot match their chequebooks and does not practice military interventionism. So India must do what it does best: Build ties based on mutual respect. Not get distracted by the other players, and play the long game. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._ Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.