The development partnership has primacy in India's Africa policy, he said

Pointing out that Africa plays a particularly important role in India’s foreign policy outlook, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa.

Addressing the Special Plenary of the 17th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on the India-Africa Growth Partnership, he said that India has also expanded its diplomatic footprint to 43 African countries.

At the same time, India’s bilateral trade with Africa has reached US$ 89.5 billion in 2021-22 compared with USD 56 bn the previous year. With cumulative investments at US$ 73.9 billion from 1996-2021, India is among the top five investors in Africa, EAM Jaishankar pointed out.

Referring to the lessons from the recent turbulence like the Covid pandemic or the knock-on effects of the Ukraine conflict, EAM Jaishankar said it was worth considering how India and Africa can make the triad of health, digital and green growth the focus of their collaboration.

To fight Covid-19, 32 African countries received 150 tonnes of medical assistance from India. Many of them also utilized ‘Made in India’ vaccines received directly or otherwise, EAM Jaishankar noted.

INDIA-AFRICA DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP

"Since post-colonial reconstruction is our shared goal, it is only to be expected that development partnership would have primacy in India’s Africa policy," the External Affairs Minister said. This had been the centre piece of the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) that first commenced in 2008, he added.

Being a trusted partner in the journey of socio-economic development, India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa. "We have completed 197 projects so far, 65 more are currently under execution and 81 at the pre-execution stage. In addition, India has granted US$ 700 mn of grant assistance," he added.

According EAM Jaishankar, Indian development projects in various sectors such as drinking water schemes to irrigation, rural solar electrification, power plants, transmission lines, cement, sugar & textile factories, technology parks, railway infrastructure, etc. have generated local employment and changed the life of many people in Africa.

He highlighted the following projects:

* In Gambia, India has constructed the National Assembly building and undertaken projects in water supply, agriculture and food processing.

* In Zambia, we have been involved in an important hydro-power project, in the erection of pre-fabricated health posts and in the supply of vehicles.

* In Mauritius, our recent notable projects include the metro express, the new Supreme Court and social housing.

* In Namibia, a new Centre of Excellence in IT has just become operational.

* In South Sudan, as with so many other African partners, we are focusing on training and education and welcome new opportunities for cooperation.

He pointed out that India has also extended its support in the form of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), often as a first responder.

According to EAM Jaishankar, the importance that India attaches to Africa is reflected in the expanding diplomatic footprint that today covers 43 African countries.

During the last eight years, there has also been a stepped up engagement with the continent, recording 36 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa, he added.