India is intensifying its engagement with Africa, driven by shared strategic interests that encompass economic, security, and technological cooperation. In October 2026, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conducted a three-day tour to Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ethiopia to reinforce India’s partnership with the continent and its broader alignment with the Global South, following the postponement of the Fourth India-Africa summit earlier that year due to an Ebola outbreak.
India’s contemporary policy toward Africa traces back to July 2018, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined ten guiding principles during a speech to the Ugandan parliament. These principles emphasized Africa's centrality to India’s foreign policy, centering on collaborative priorities such as agriculture, food security, trade, investment, digital transformation, maritime security, and climate change. The framework also emphasized joint efforts toward establishing a more just and democratic global order.
Since then, bilateral ties have expanded notably. Trade between India and African nations has surged to approximately $100 billion, while Indian investments on the continent have exceeded $10 billion. India has extended nearly 190 lines of credit, cumulatively valued at $10 billion, supporting projects across 40 African countries. Capacity-building efforts have included nearly 80,000 scholarships and skills development opportunities focusing on health, agriculture, and technology sectors.
New initiatives underscore a strategic shift in development finance, moving from reliance on lines of credit toward increased foreign direct investment, supported by the growing presence of Indian banks in Africa. Technological collaboration has focused on digital public infrastructure, establishment of IT training centers, and centers of excellence dedicated to data science and artificial intelligence.
Security cooperation has also become a significant focus area. Africa’s extensive coastlines and resource-rich hinterlands have drawn India's attention to mutual concerns such as piracy, maritime terrorism, illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and human smuggling. The Indian Navy has demonstrated its commitment as a regional partner, providing humanitarian aid during cyclones and the COVID-19 pandemic by delivering vaccines and medical supplies. India’s recent naval doctrine designates the country as a net security provider and first responder to regional crises.
Military collaboration includes the “Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement,” a six-day naval exercise held in Dar es Salaam in April 2025. Further efforts involve capacity-building programs for African defense personnel in India, covering topics such as defense management, cybersecurity, counterinsurgency, and jungle warfare. Dialogues between senior defense officials explore tactical cooperation and defense industry partnerships.
Africa’s geopolitical and economic significance is also recognized internationally. The continent hosts an integrated market of 1.3 billion people under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and controls 30 percent of the world’s critical minerals and metals. It is rapidly advancing its digital infrastructure and industrial base. Aligning with this, India is focusing on energy and food security, aiming to partner in grid modernization, digital power distribution, and renewable energy development.
Maritime security cooperation remains a priority, with plans to enhance coastal radar and surveillance systems, port infrastructure, and training for coast guard and naval personnel. India also intends to contribute to peacekeeping and conflict resolution efforts led by the United Nations and the African Union.
During his visit to Ethiopia, Jaishankar summarized this evolving relationship by stating that shared histories of freedom and present economic collaboration are now converging as common strategic interests, underscoring a multipronged and deepening India-Africa partnership for the coming years.