## Policy Summary: India's Strategic Partnership with Africa
This document summarizes the Indian government's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2166, concerning India's strategic partnership with Africa, answered on August 1, 2025. The response outlines the government's approach to aligning India's engagement strategy with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063.
**Key Areas of Collaboration:**
India prioritizes collaboration with Africa based on the needs and priorities of African nations, with alignment to AfCFTA and Agenda 2063 being essential. Key areas identified for long-term collaboration include:
* Energy
* Agriculture
* Healthcare
* Infrastructure
* Capacity Building
* Digital Public Infrastructure
**Support for Regional Trade Integration and Infrastructure Development:**
India's development partnership initiatives in Africa, particularly in infrastructure, contribute to regional trade facilitation by improving connectivity. These initiatives encompass diverse sectors, including:
* Power and Hydroelectricity
* Transmission and Distribution Networks
* Dams
* Roads and Railways
* Agriculture Irrigation
* Industrial Units
* Skills Development
* Civil Construction
* Defense
**Agricultural Value Chain Support:**
The Indian government supports agricultural value chains across Africa, especially for smallholder farmers, through:
* Supply of Agri-machinery and equipment
* Setting up of Food Processing Industries
* Commissioning irrigation projects
* Increasing agricultural productivity through soil conditioning, farm mechanization, and fertilizer support
These efforts align with India's development cooperation programs, such as ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) and Lines of Credit (LOCs).
**Strengthening Trade and Investment Footprint:**
India aims to strengthen its trade and investment footprint in Africa's emerging sectors, particularly in nations where India is among the top three trading partners. Focus areas include:
* Pharmaceuticals
* Healthcare infrastructure
* Education and vocational training
* Skill development
* Critical minerals
* Agriculture and allied sectors
* Digital public infrastructure
* Energy sector
This will be achieved through increased interaction between Indian industry and African counterparts to facilitate project and business opportunities.
Key Entities Referenced
Africa: A continent that is the focus of India's engagement strategy.
African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA: A free trade area encompassing most African countries, with which India aims to align its engagement strategy.
Agenda 2063: A strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the African continent, with which India aims to align its engagement strategy.
ITEC: Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme, a development cooperation programme of India.
LOCs: Lines of Credit, offered by India for development projects.
Energy: A key area identified for long term collaboration between India and African countries.
Agriculture: A key area identified for long term collaboration between India and African countries.
Healthcare: A key area identified for long term collaboration between India and African countries.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2166
ANSWERED ON – 01/08/2025
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH AFRICA
2166. SMT. SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to align India’s Africa engagement
strategy with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063 and if so, the key areas identified for long-
term collaboration;
(b) the extent to which India’s bilateral or trilateral cooperation
frameworks with African countries support regional trade integration,
connectivity infrastructure and transport corridor development in
alignment with AfCFTA objectives;
(c) whether India is providing targeted support in agricultural value
chains, including agri-tech and climate-resilient practices, especially for
smallholder farmers across Africa and the manner in which this aligns
1with India's development cooperation programmes such as ITEC or
LOCs; and
(d) the steps taken or proposed to strengthen India’s trade and
investment footprint in Africa’s emerging manufacturing, digital economy
and energy sectors, particularly in nations where India is among the top
three trading partners?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) India’s partnership with Africa is based on the needs and priorities of
the African countries. In this regard, alignment with AfCFTA and Agenda
2063 is essential for our bilateral engagements with African countries.
The key areas identified for long term collaboration are Energy,
Agriculture, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Capacity Building and Digital
Public Infrastructure.
(b) India’s development partnership initiatives in Africa especially in the
field of infrastructure include projects in varied sectors such as power,
hydroelectricity, transmission & distribution networks, dams, roads,
railways, agriculture & irrigation, industrial units, skills development,
2civil construction, defence, etc. This has contributed to African efforts
to support regional trade facilitation by improving connectivity through
infrastructure development.
(c) The Government has undertaken a number of development projects in
Agriculture Sector through supply of Agri-machinery and equipments for
setting up of Food Processing Industries, commissioning irrigation
projects, increasing agricultural productivity through soil conditioning,
farm mechanisation and fertiliser support.
(d) India will continue to collaborate with African countries in areas such
as pharmaceuticals, healthcare infrastructure, education and vocational
training, skill development, critical minerals, agriculture and allied
sectors, digital public infrastructure and energy sector through
increased interaction between Indian Industry and Africa to facilitate
project and business opportunities.
*****
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