Indian-Ocean-Routes-IDRW Courtesy: Bharat Shakti
17 January 2019

India, Japan and the Asia Africa Growth Corridor

India and Japan, two countries wanting to enhance the quality of their engagement in Africa’s development, have historically taken fundamentally different approaches to the task. But now, both are being guided by geoeconomic imperatives in aligning their strategy in the region— and the Asia Africa Growth Corridor offers many opportunities for synergy at the B2B level

44462476151_09bdc8fc7f_o Courtesy: Flickr / Paul Kagame
15 November 2018

China, Africa and the art of mutual benefit

China’s footprint in the African continent is growing because it is a zealous summiteer. And now, in response to ‘debt-trap’ criticism, it also appears to be stressing private sector investment in Africa over loans and credit. Are there any takeaways for India in this?

2-8-18 CableMap-02 - Copy Courtesy: Gateway House
2 August 2018

Version 2: Mapping China’s global telecom empire

This version of the Gateway House Map on China’s Expanding Global Telecom Empire identifies some more telecommunication assets -- optic-fibre and satellite ground stations -- that Beijing is working on in South and Central America, Africa, Myanmar, the Indian Ocean Region and mainland China besides the existing ones, such as the Pakistan East Africa Cable Express (PEACE). It shows the direction China’s investment is taking, its diplomatic overtures and the larger geopolitical implications of its growing telecom empire

A photo of Kakira Sugar Works (Uganda) in 1957 (Courtesy: Tide of Fortune: A family tale, by Manubhai Madhvani) Courtesy: Tide of Fortune: A family tale, by Manubhai Madhvani
26 July 2018

Modi on the India-Africa Dhow Route

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Rwanda and Uganda, en route to the BRICS Conference in South Africa (July 25-27), is significant as it is a rebolstering of ties with these East African landlocked nations through their Indian diasporas, ties that will be cemented further by cooperation in defence, finance, education and other sectors. The Bombay Presidency once played a key role in the development of this region

(in the pic - Chinese President Xi Jinping addressing FOCAC summit). President Jacob Zuma co-chairs the FOCAC Summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping - Sandton, Johannesburg. 04/12/2015, Elmond Jiyane, GCIS Courtesy: GovernmentZA/ Flickr
26 April 2018

The race to be Africa’s best partner

China’s judicious deployment of economic diplomacy—in sectors ranging from infrastructure and agriculture to skill development--has enabled it to develop relations with several African countries. India, Africa’s oldest partner, which is diversifying its own relationship, can replicate parts of China’s approach

india africa Courtesy: Exim Bank of India
12 April 2018

An economic agenda for India-Africa ties

The India-Africa economic partnership lags some way behind the diplomatic reciprocity the two countries share. Africa has had a trade surplus with India in the past decade, but increasing two-way trade of goods and services across sectors calls for serious promotional measures and removal of non-tariff barriers. The government, Indian business and their African partners need to devise an action plan that can take trade to $100 billion and investment to $75 billion by 2022