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India is Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching nearly USD 100 billion.
Recent years have seen a growing convergence between India and Japan when it comes to the steps needed for Africa’s growth.
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar highlighted some key aspects of this relationship as he addressed the Japan-India-Africa Business Forum on Wednesday (February 26, 2025), emphasizing India and Japan’s shared commitment to fostering economic growth, sustainable development, and infrastructure advancement in Africa.
The forum, organized by the Government of Japan and Nikkei, brought together political leaders, business executives, and experts to discuss trilateral cooperation strategies for engaging with Africa, a key region in the emerging Global South.
How India and Japan are Strategic Partners for Africa’s Growth
India and Japan have long shared a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, rooted in democratic values and a free and open Indo-Pacific vision. Their bilateral cooperation extends beyond trade and investment to include areas like infrastructure development, technology transfer, healthcare, and education. Their engagement within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, popularly referred to as the Quad, further reinforces their collaboration on a broader geopolitical scale.
Dr. Jaishankar stressed that Africa’s rise as a major economic hub makes it essential to ensure its aspirations and interests are represented globally. India has already led initiatives such as the Voice of the Global South Summits and, notably, pushed for the African Union’s inclusion in the G20 during its presidency. Additionally, platforms such as the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) and the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) further demonstrate India’s commitment to fostering partnerships in the Global South.
A Development-Oriented Approach to Africa
Unlike traditional extractive models of engagement, India prioritizes capacity-building, skills development, and technology transfer. Dr.Jaishankar underscored India's efforts to create self-sustaining growth ecosystems in Africa through initiatives like:
Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Program – Training African professionals in various sectors.
Pan-African e-Network Project – Enhancing digital infrastructure for education and healthcare.
High-Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) – Addressing key community needs.
e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti networks (2019) – Providing tele-education and telemedicine services to students and medical professionals in 19 African nations.
He emphasized that investing in human capital is essential for sustainable partnerships, ensuring that African countries gain long-term benefits from such programs.
Effective Engagement with Trade and Infrastructure
India is Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching nearly USD 100 billion and continuing to grow. Additionally, India has made significant investments in African infrastructure, committing USD 12 billion in concessional credit and completing over 200 projects across sectors such as:
Railways and power generation
Agriculture and irrigation
Water supply and rural electrification
Technology parks and industrial development
These projects have played a transformative role in generating local employment and boosting Africa’s economic resilience.
India Connects Japan and Africa
Dr.Jaishankar also highlighted that India’s rapid economic growth and strong industrial base position it as a natural bridge for Japanese companies looking to expand in Africa and the Middle East.
India, Japan, and Africa can create mutually beneficial economic synergies, combining:
Japan’s financial and technological expertise.
India’s industrial base and digital capabilities.
Africa’s growing talent pool and market potential.
India and Japan are also poised to collaborate on strengthening resilient supply chains in Africa, especially in critical and emerging sectors such as digital technology, clean energy, and manufacturing.
The forum also addressed the broader significance of the Global South, which comprises half of the world’s population. Strengthening ties with these nations is not just an economic opportunity but also a strategic imperative for maintaining global stability.
Japan sees its engagement with the Global South as essential for revitalizing its domestic industries, ensuring secure supply chains for strategic goods, and fostering sustainable growth. With the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) set to take place in Yokohama in August 2025, the forum aimed to lay the groundwork for deeper economic collaboration between India, Japan, and African nations.
Public-Private Partnerships for Long-Term Growth
One of the central themes of the forum was the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in enhancing business opportunities across the India-West Asia-Africa economic corridor.
The forum invited business leaders, policymakers, and economic experts to discuss:
Investment opportunities and challenges in Africa.
Potential for Japanese and Indian companies to co-develop infrastructure projects.
Strategies for strengthening economic connectivity between India and Africa.
The Japan-India-Africa Business Forum reaffirmed India and Japan’s commitment to promoting Africa’s development in a sustainable, inclusive, and mutually beneficial manner. With both nations leveraging their technological, financial, and industrial strengths, this trilateral partnership is set to play a key role in shaping Africa’s economic future, reinforcing global stability, and strengthening the Global South’s influence on the world stage.
As discussions from this forum progress towards TICAD 9, we will be able to witness how India, Japan, and Africa translate their shared vision into actionable outcomes.
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar highlighted some key aspects of this relationship as he addressed the Japan-India-Africa Business Forum on Wednesday (February 26, 2025), emphasizing India and Japan’s shared commitment to fostering economic growth, sustainable development, and infrastructure advancement in Africa.
The forum, organized by the Government of Japan and Nikkei, brought together political leaders, business executives, and experts to discuss trilateral cooperation strategies for engaging with Africa, a key region in the emerging Global South.
How India and Japan are Strategic Partners for Africa’s Growth
India and Japan have long shared a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, rooted in democratic values and a free and open Indo-Pacific vision. Their bilateral cooperation extends beyond trade and investment to include areas like infrastructure development, technology transfer, healthcare, and education. Their engagement within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, popularly referred to as the Quad, further reinforces their collaboration on a broader geopolitical scale.
Dr. Jaishankar stressed that Africa’s rise as a major economic hub makes it essential to ensure its aspirations and interests are represented globally. India has already led initiatives such as the Voice of the Global South Summits and, notably, pushed for the African Union’s inclusion in the G20 during its presidency. Additionally, platforms such as the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) and the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) further demonstrate India’s commitment to fostering partnerships in the Global South.
A Development-Oriented Approach to Africa
Unlike traditional extractive models of engagement, India prioritizes capacity-building, skills development, and technology transfer. Dr.Jaishankar underscored India's efforts to create self-sustaining growth ecosystems in Africa through initiatives like:
Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Program – Training African professionals in various sectors.
Pan-African e-Network Project – Enhancing digital infrastructure for education and healthcare.
High-Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) – Addressing key community needs.
e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti networks (2019) – Providing tele-education and telemedicine services to students and medical professionals in 19 African nations.
He emphasized that investing in human capital is essential for sustainable partnerships, ensuring that African countries gain long-term benefits from such programs.
Effective Engagement with Trade and Infrastructure
India is Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching nearly USD 100 billion and continuing to grow. Additionally, India has made significant investments in African infrastructure, committing USD 12 billion in concessional credit and completing over 200 projects across sectors such as:
Railways and power generation
Agriculture and irrigation
Water supply and rural electrification
Technology parks and industrial development
These projects have played a transformative role in generating local employment and boosting Africa’s economic resilience.
India Connects Japan and Africa
Dr.Jaishankar also highlighted that India’s rapid economic growth and strong industrial base position it as a natural bridge for Japanese companies looking to expand in Africa and the Middle East.
India, Japan, and Africa can create mutually beneficial economic synergies, combining:
Japan’s financial and technological expertise.
India’s industrial base and digital capabilities.
Africa’s growing talent pool and market potential.
India and Japan are also poised to collaborate on strengthening resilient supply chains in Africa, especially in critical and emerging sectors such as digital technology, clean energy, and manufacturing.
The forum also addressed the broader significance of the Global South, which comprises half of the world’s population. Strengthening ties with these nations is not just an economic opportunity but also a strategic imperative for maintaining global stability.
Japan sees its engagement with the Global South as essential for revitalizing its domestic industries, ensuring secure supply chains for strategic goods, and fostering sustainable growth. With the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) set to take place in Yokohama in August 2025, the forum aimed to lay the groundwork for deeper economic collaboration between India, Japan, and African nations.
Public-Private Partnerships for Long-Term Growth
One of the central themes of the forum was the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in enhancing business opportunities across the India-West Asia-Africa economic corridor.
The forum invited business leaders, policymakers, and economic experts to discuss:
Investment opportunities and challenges in Africa.
Potential for Japanese and Indian companies to co-develop infrastructure projects.
Strategies for strengthening economic connectivity between India and Africa.
The Japan-India-Africa Business Forum reaffirmed India and Japan’s commitment to promoting Africa’s development in a sustainable, inclusive, and mutually beneficial manner. With both nations leveraging their technological, financial, and industrial strengths, this trilateral partnership is set to play a key role in shaping Africa’s economic future, reinforcing global stability, and strengthening the Global South’s influence on the world stage.
As discussions from this forum progress towards TICAD 9, we will be able to witness how India, Japan, and Africa translate their shared vision into actionable outcomes.
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