“With the gun, you can make the earth red; but if you have a plough, you can make the earth green.”
Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister
I have had the privilege of attending banquets hosted by Tanzania’s Presidents in honour of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh and now Narendra Modi. Each Prime Minister when visiting Tanzania and other African countries has emphasized the fact that Africa and India are neighbours separated by the Indian Ocean. As mentioned by all visiting Prime Ministers, India’s trade connections with Africa began in the 10th century with emphasis by Modi when addressing Indian Diaspora in Tanzania that “the first immigrants came from my State, namely Gujarat.”
It is believed that in 1498 when Vasco da Gama after journeying to Mozambique and Kilwa passed through Zanzibar on his way to India he took with him a couple of Gujaratis to help in the journey. They navigated him to Calicut.
India since its independence has played a meaningful role through the United Nations in helping African countries to achieve their independence. The most famous Indian who lived in Africa is Mahatma Gandhi, whose political activism began in South Africa where he was practising as a young lawyer. His philosophy of satyagraha inspired many, including Nelson Mandela.
Africa is regarded as the second fastest growing region in the world. According to the 2015 World Bank report six of the 10 fastest growing economies of the world emanate from Africa. India and Africa have a plethora of areas in which they are collaborating. These include the trade and investment, development, technology and education, maritime security and counter terrorism which are detailed later.
For the first time India organized an Indian-Africa Summit in October last year in order to build closer relationship with Africa. The successful Summit was attended by majority of African Leaders. India-Africa bilateral trade is estimated to be around US$90 billion and is annually increasing. Indian firms have invested USD$18 billion. Indian Diaspora in Africa consists of nearly 3 million and there are 50,000 ethnic African Diaspora in India who descended from Bantu people of Southeast Africa. Nearly 4,500 Indian soldiers are on the ground in Africa under various UN peacekeeping missions, including a fully formed Indian female police unit presently in Liberia. India annually offers 900 scholarships to African Students and is currently spending US$7.5 billion on infrastructure projects in 40 countries in Africa.
Barefoot College International of India, which provides training to the rural illiterate and semi-literate women, in fabrication, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household lighting scheme. Additionally, this non-profit organization provides basic services and solutions to the challenges facing rural poor communities for more than 40 years with the objective of making them self-reliant. It is the only India based NGO whose programs are exported throughout Africa and in many other developing countries.
The human connection is the foundation in Modi’s plans to create a strong presence in Africa and with that objective in mind India’s new Africa policy dovetails, as I mentioned earlier, three substantial interests. One is economic: India’s economic relationship is more diversified than ever before. Much of the investment is private sector-driven and in non-resource areas like telecom and consumer products. The second is the development partnership in order to provide Africans better access to technical education and healthcare. In this, India is sensibly targeting the hearts, minds and pocket books of the 100 million plus African middle class that have arisen in the past few decades. Third is a nascent security relationship that conflates common concern about terrorism including maritime terrorism.
Prime Minister Modi said in Pretoria, South Africa, “India is a bright star in the global economy. We are being seen as the engine of global growth.” In a time of global growth slowdown, India managed to achieve a 7.6% increase in GDP growth.
Prime Minister Modi in his closing remarks when addressing the guest at the State House banquet said “Furahayakonayanchiyakonifurahayetunafurahaya India.” This desire expressed by Modi is meant for the rest of Africa.
On a personal note – visits to all four countries (four countries in five days) although tight were successful. Modiji always looked relaxed and ready with meaningful response. At the State House he suggested to the President that they both go and play on the drums. When the Principal and his colleagues from the Indian School who were on the stage with the students who sang the two National Anthems, tried to get next to him at the time photograph was being taken, he politely said “Bachoko ahi anedo!”
