China in Africa: Lessons for Delhi from Beijing’s Long Game in the Global South

China’s long-standing engagement with Africa offers important lessons for India as global competition in the Global South intensifies. Since 1991, Beijing has maintained a consistent diplomatic tradition, reinforced by high-level visits, institutional frameworks like FOCAC, and sustained economic partnerships. This steady approach has made China Africa’s largest trading partner and a key development actor, even as concerns over dependency and debt persist. While India and China differ in scale, capacity, and strategic outlook, China’s experience demonstrates the value of predictability, long-term commitment, and institutionalised dialogue. For India, deeper engagement with Africa will require sustained political attention, adaptive financing models, and greater investment in knowledge and field research.