Indian President Droupadi Murmu says Africa is in need of bilateral and multilateral partners whose investments will not only empower the investor nations but also investments that will lead to development, economic diversification, sustainability, regional integration, and industrialisation. Graphic: Sizwe Dlamini
By Phapano Phasha
IN June 2023, in his capacity as chair of the G20, Indian Prime Minister Niyendra Modi proposed and lobbied for the inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G20.
The G20 comprises 19 of the wealthiest and most powerful countries in the world, including the European Union and South Africa, which was the only country in Africa that held a permanent seat in this intergovernmental forum.
For many pundits focused on the Global South, the role of India and Prime Minister Modi in propagating and leading the call for the inclusion of the AU and its 55 member states into the G20 remains one of the most progressive and significant initiatives by any country and head of state outside of the African continent.
It is, therefore, not a surprise to hear of the current state visit of Indian President Droupadi Murmu to Algeria, Mauritania, and Malawi, at the behest of these African countries.
Having set the tone as a “friend” and an ally of the African continent, it will be interesting to observe how India plays a big brother role, noting the current power imbalances in investments and development deals between African member states and the developed economies.
Many countries that do business in the continent continue to exploit the mineral resources of the African continent, which has seen little development but dominance and influence even with emerging powers.
According to President Murmu, Africa is in need of bilateral and multilateral partners whose investments will not only empower the investor nations but also investments that will lead to development, economic diversification, sustainability, regional integration, and industrialisation.
With the advent of digital evolution, the growth of the middle-income group in most African countries coupled with a staggering growth in the youth population, this partnership can create an immense opportunity for accelerated growth, especially in public-private partnerships between African member states and Indian companies.
The visit to these three African countries by President Murmu can, therefore, pave a way for sustainable political and economic partnership between Africa and India. In other words, India’s success should be intrinsically linked to the success of Africa.
A decade ago, India was not economically seen and heard, but today, with a population of more than 1.4 billion, India's leadership has managed to position the country as an economic powerhouse globally and is projected to continue with this global dominance, especially in FinTech and mining.
Consequently, these current and future state visits by Indian heads of state to Africa can create avenues for a larger share of trade through bilateral trade agreements. However, what will set India and Africa apart is inclusion, collaboration, and transparency, which are modelled on mutual growth and partnership.
The gravitation in sentiment towards Africa is not new, however, the ability to persuade the wealthy Global North to accept the AU as a representative of African member states into the G20 represents a new era of possibilities between India and Africa.
* Phapano Phasha is chair of the Centre for Alternative Political and Economic Thought, whose focus is on the Global South and BRICS Plus Countries. The views expressed here are her own.