China’s engagement with Africa and possible learning for India

Abstract

Recently India hosted the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit where a record 41 of the 54 leaders of the African Union came together. Lauded as one of the most spectacular diplomatic exercises by India since the 1983 Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, the meeting was a perfect step to rejuvenate relations with the African continent. With the recent push to the manufacturing sector through the ‘Make in India’ campaign, India is looking at strengthening its trade relations with Africa. Currently mineral fuels form a major part of this trade relation and have grown in contribution tremendously in the past decade. Mineral fuel exports from Africa to India have grown from a 832 million USD in 2005 to just over 27.4 billion USD by 2014. In turn, Africa imports an array of consumer goods and IT services, hardware and telecommunications technology.