India and China are developing their engagements with Africa proactively.
But they’ve adopted very different approaches to further their ties.
What are the recent trends in Africa’s geo-political space?
Africa’s global outreach was once mainly towards the western world, but recently India, Japan and China have entered the picture.
This is not only because African nations are reaching out to other partners, but also that the Asian countries are eagerly seeking opportunities in Africa.
The Indian PM and the Chinese Premier are both currently on individual trips to some African countries currently, ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit.
Notably, the 1oth BRICS Summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is slated to be held in South Africa.
Indian Outreach - This is Mr. Modi’s second trip to mainland Africa after his visit to Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya in 2016.
In the last four years, there have been 23 outgoing visits to Africa by the President, the Vice President and the Prime Minister.
Mr. Modi current tour saw him go to Uganda and Rwanda, and his visit to Rwanda (a rapidly growing economy) is the first ever by an Indian PM.
Notably, during the visit of Rwandan president Paul Kgame to India last year, ties between the countries were elevated to the level of strategic partnership.
Chinese Outreach - It Mr. Xi’s currently visit is his first to Africa after being re-elected for a second term in March this year.
Mr. Xi is scheduled to visit Senegal and Rwanda, and Mauritius.
Significantly, this comes in the backdrop of the 1st “China-Africa Defence and Security Forum” which was held in Beijing recently.
The forum was attended by many African defence ministers and army chiefs.
What is the present economic context?
For India, bolstering economic ties with Africa is of paramount importance though trading patterns currently remains small overall.
Africa exports raw materials and imports manufactured goods and India-Africa trade grew from $11.9 billion (2006) to $62.66 billion (2018).
On the contrary, China is now Africa’s largest trading partner with a $166 billion in 2011, although there is immense potential for further expansion.
Also, Indian private sector is yet to take full advantage of the investment climate in Africa, which could reap immense benefits.
How is India’s approach to Africa different from China’s?
While trade and investments are only part of the story, Indian engagement lays emphasis on the long term ties.
People Centric - Enhancing Africa’s productive capacities, diversifying skills and knowledge, and investing in SMEs are on the cards.
India’s cross-border connectivity initiatives with Eastern African countries are a natural extension of its policy to enhance people-to-people ties.
This, India feels, will increase investment-led trade and business opportunities, and strengthen bilateral partnerships.
India is also seeking to reinvigorate its cultural links with East Africa under the rubric of Project ‘Mausam’, an initiative of the Ministry of Culture.
The project seeks to revive lost linkages with the “Indian Ocean world” - East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
Contrarily, China’s approach is more traditional — resource-extraction, infrastructure development and elite-level wealth creation.
Connectivity - India’s African cross-border connectivity initiatives has three primary forms:
Maritime-port connectivity under the government’s “Security and Growth for All in the Region” (SAGAR) and the SagarMala initiative
Digital connectivity under the Pan African e-Network project on tele-education and tele-medicine (launched in 2004)
Air connectivity through direct flights between Indian and African cities.
In contrast, China’s focus is solely on big ticket investments that will provide strategic control to it for enhancing its economic might.
Joint Initiatives - India, Japan and many African nations have also launched a trilateral initiative, the Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC).
This is to develop ‘industrial corridors’, ‘institutional networks’ for the growth of Asia and Africa, and to promote development cooperation.
The AAGC is a consultative initiative between three equal partners (India, Japan and Africa), which contrasts it to China’s BRI.
Notably, BRI is structured more as a top-down, unilateral approach to secure and enhance China’s economic and strategic interests.
In China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), East Africa and the Indian Ocean Region are key focus areas.
How are military ties in Africa shaping up?
Africa features significantly in the security and geo-strategic considerations of both India and China.
India - India’s security and defence cooperation with Africa is mainly limited to anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia.
Other aspects include - deployment of Indian forces to UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, and joint-naval patrolling of Western Indian Ocean.
These engagements are mainly with Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, and the island nations of “Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros”.
China - China supports Africa’s military transformation by providing equipment, advanced technology, and independent capacity-building.
The “China-Africa Defence and Security Forum” is an important development in this context as it is promises to be a major ideation forum.
