How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa?

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Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

India sees itself in resource-rich Africa as a development partner rather than an extractor, securing energy, minerals and food while building African capacity. At the 2015 India-Africa Forum Summit it pledged US$10 billion in concessional credit, and bilateral trade crossed US$100 billion in 2024-25.

**Introduction**

Africa holds most of the world's uncultivated arable land and rich oil, gas and mineral reserves. India sees its place there as a development partner rather than an extractor, with bilateral trade crossing US$100 billion in 2024-25 (Commerce Ministry).

**India as a Resource and Market Partner**

1. **Energy security**: Nigeria and Angola supply crude, and ONGC Videsh, Oil India and BPRL hold stakes in Mozambique's Rovuma Area 1 gas field to reduce dependence on West Asia.
2. **Minerals and food**: Moroccan phosphates, Mozambican coal and African cobalt and copper serve India's farms and energy transition, while farm leases in Ethiopia show both promise and the risk of land grabbing.
3. **Market for Indian goods**: Indian generics, vehicles and machinery find large markets, and cheap Indian medicines made HIV treatment affordable.

**India as a Development Partner, Not an Extractor**

SKETCH: venn | India-Africa Economic Convergence
a: India: energy, minerals, food
b: Africa: skills, credit, technology
overlap: Development partnership

1. **Demand-driven credit**: At the 2015 India-Africa Forum Summit with all 54 states, India pledged US$10 billion in concessional credit for projects Africans choose.
2. **Capacity building**: ITEC training, the Pan-African e-Network and duty-free access for least developed countries build African skills.
3. **Global South voice**: India championed the African Union's permanent G20 membership at the New Delhi summit in 2023, presenting a partnership that contrasts with China's debt-heavy model.

**Conclusion**

India sees itself as a people-centred partner in Africa's rise, meeting its own resource needs while building African capacity. Goodwill, a large diaspora and a shared Global South identity offset its smaller purse than China's.

How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa?

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