20th India-Africa Conclave highlighted collaboration and win-win relationships

India’s commitment to strengthen trade relations and deepen economic ties with South Africa and the other countries on the continent was highlighted during the 20th India-Africa Conclave in New Delhi in August.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau led South Africa’s delegation at the invitation of Indian minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal.

The relationship between India and countries on the African continent continues to be strengthened with India-Africa trade surpassing $100 billion in 2024/25 compared to $56 billion in 2019/20 and New Delhi has emerged as one of the top-five investors in the continent.

With the focus shifting to co-creating a shared future, bilateral trade between countries on the continent and India has significantly increased since 2019/20 and India has extended significant loans and grants for African projects.

During India’s presidency of the G20, the African Union gained permanent membership and India has supported Africa in times of need, including inviting collaboration in climate initiatives.

India has stood with Africa in times of need, with relief operations in Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius and several other countries and invited African nations to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure as well as the International Solar Alliance to strengthen cooperation in climate and clean energy.

The August powerhouse conclave was attended by three heads of state from South Sudan, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, ministers and senior officials from another 20 African countries and from India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, Jitin Prasada, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Kirtivardhan Singh, the Minister of State for External Affairs.

With South Africa’s economy under severe pressure as a result of the 30% US tariff imposed on its exports, Tau and the country’s government have emphasised the need to explore new markets - India’s historic relationship with South Africa makes it an ideal country to further bilateral and trade relationships.

Tau’s keynote address at the conclave “Deepening the South Africa–India Strategic Partnership” highlighted the growing depth of bilateral relations, underscored new opportunities in energy, minerals, and manufacturing, and called for stronger business-to-business collaboration between the two nations.

 “We must accelerate efforts to reset and strengthen our trade and investment relationship. To this end, our respective departments have already begun restructuring to deliver a more formal, structured trade agreement within the next two months.”

Tau said it was important for South Africa to place India at the centre of the country’s economic vision. 

“We see India as a natural partner in this journey,” he said, highlighting that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),offers immense opportunities for Indian companies to collaborate on agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, and services.

“We invite Indian companies to collaborate with us in building regional manufacturing and distribution hubs that can serve the entire African continent,” he said.

Goyal, speaking at the conclave called for India and Africa to work towards doubling bilateral trade by 2030, with a focus on value addition, technology-driven agriculture, renewable energy, healthcare, and affordable mobility solutions. 

He said Africa could support India in critical minerals and petroleum products, while India could strengthen Africa in food security, agriculture technologies, education, healthcare, innovation, and start-ups.

He also underlined India’s cost-competitiveness in services such as IT, AI, engineering, telecom, and medical tourism, which can directly support Africa’s development goals.

Goyal said the Conclave has become a defining platform to deepen ties as he recalled India’s support to Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic and stressed the potential of India’s UPI digital payments system to strengthen Africa’s financial inclusion.

“India and Africa together represent over 2 billion people and one-third of the global population. Our relationship is not just about history or trade — it is about shared dreams, challenges, and solutions,” Goyal said.

The conclave revealed that both India and countries on the African continent are willing to collaborate at multilateral forums to amplify the voice of the Global South, reinforcing their role in shaping the world economy.

It also highlighted that both regions are shaping a strong partnership to co-create a shared future, built on mutual trust and collaborative efforts.

* Dr Govender is an academic and a keen observer of issues related to international relations.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.