… There is a lot of goodwill for India in Africa. African countries appreciate its non-intrusive policies and look towards it for lead and initiative. However, India’s approach has been request-based and not initiative-based... Basically, a cohesive policy and strategic vision for its partnership with Africa is needed ... India must develop a strategic foreign policy and make it initiative-based ...

Thirty Journalists/Editors from different African countries visited the VIF to familiarise with the socio-political and economic facet of the India society. Centered on the seven decades of shared political and economic relations as well as India’s contribution to peace and security in Africa through participation in UN peace-keeping operations, further strengthening of India’s engagement with the African continent was discussed.

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a Conference on ‘Enhancing India-Africa Cooperation’ as a bilateral initiative with an objective to enhance growth and connectivity between India and Africa.

The India-Africa partnership is rooted in their shared historical experience. India has played a major role in the fight against apartheid and colonisation. The success of the decolonisation process increased the number of sovereign African countries from four in 1945 to 54 as of now. Today, the African continent constitutes the single largest electoral group in the UN General Assembly. India has also contributed to peace and security in Africa through its participation in every major UN Peacekeeping Operation in the continent. This has often come at the cost of Indian lives.