Chapter 17. International Relations Notes for UPSC Mains

Africa

AFRICA general picture

Growth
- African Development Bank summit in India
- India Africa Summit
- Asia – Afrca Growth corridor – AAGC
  - Vision Document of African Development Led by India and Japan
  - Africa is one of the Destnations of this idea. It also intends to undertake expenditure in South Asia, South East Asia
  - Focus on Medium Scale Consumer Industries like Pharma , Digital Connectivity ; SKILL development , Projects in Social Sector like Health, Education
  - Green and Energy Efficient
  - Ensure Sustainability Of Debt
- Economic
  - Trade
    - India Africa at 70 billion $
    - China at 200 billion $
  - Investment
    - Indian ~ 40 billion $ in the last decade
    - Chinese ~ 200 billion $
  - But last year, India Eclipsed China in FDI
- Line of credit worth 8 billion $
  - 1 billion $ under ITEC
    - India Technical and Economic Cooperation program
    - # Soft Diplomacy #NRI_help #Economic Diplomacy
Converging interests
- Economic
  - Africa as a market
  - Africa as a source of raw materials
  - Oil
    - 15% of crude oil from Africa
    - Nigeria briefly became the largest source of imports to India
    - Saudi decision to charge a premium on oil supply to Asia
    - Indian firms in Mozambique, South Sudan, Egypt
  - Other raw materials
    - Mozambique – pulses , Cashew- Ivory Coast, Ghana- Gold
  - Land market
    - Outsourcing of farming
    - Countries like Kenya inviting Indian companies to buy land and engage in farming
    - Big firms like Bharati, Adani getting involved
    - Imports from these will help in food security in India
    - China also present
  - COMESA
    - Common Market for East and South Africa
    - Africa’s largest economics community
    - India- COMESA engaging toggether since 2012
    - Suggestion – PTA / FTA with COMESA
  - Blue Economy
    - Coordinating Sagarmala with Operation Phakisa of S Africa
  - Generic Medicines
    - Pharmacy of the Poor
    - Medical tourism
    - 15% tourists – medical reasons
    - India line of credit to Rwanda for purchase of medicines and medical equipments
  - Health
    - 70% of AIDS in Africa

Investments
- Pipeline by India in Sudan, South Sudan
- Significant control over Sudan oil
- Road project in Rwanda
- Oil fields in Mozambique
- Overall 40 billion $ in last decade
  - Although eclipsed by China
Political
- India Africa summit
  - Elaboration required
- Helps earn goodwill
- India, USA, China
Strategic Angle
- India to help upgrade Mozambique security forces capabilities
  - Cooperate to counter security challenges in Indian Ocean region
- China’s growing presence – Djibouti tp Africa in OBOR
- Possible Export destination if Make in India weapons
- Possible Space Diplomatic Cooperation

UNSC
- India and Africa support each others (Africa as a whole) inclusion in the UNSC Permanent Council
Nuclear
- Namibia one of the largest producers of Uranium
- But, Pelindaba treaty prohibits trading nuclear with countries non signatories of NPT . Calls for non proliferation
- However, Namibia has already signed the treaty with India in 2009, and it is confirmed that it will honour this treaty
Scientific
- ISA

Historical
- Anti colonial stance
- NAM
- Gandhi
Cultural–
- project mausam
- Racial
  - Apparent racial related deaths of Congolese student
  - AAP minister publically maligning at the middle of the night
  - Counter attacks against Indians in Africa
  - Solution
    - Interaction
      - Mohalla sabha
    - Sensitisation of cultures
    - Incredible India campaign that targeted against molestation of foreigners were only white
    - Clear guidelines for Africans to complain
    - Frequent interaction with embassies
    - Also stringent action against those within the community doing illegal acts – such as Drug Peddlars so that local community members also don’t fear the genera African community and recognise only a hangdul responsible
    - Bezbaruah commitee recommendations be adopted – See NE
- Drug menace
  - African peddlers
  - India- Mozambique MoU to jointly counter
- Solar Mama
  - African Women trained in India in use, assembling and repair of solar lanterns
Terrorism
Sea route piracy
Elaboration required
Cons
- Potential battleground – China, USA
- Drug
- Human rights, Environment abuse
- Indians being caught in cross fire and terror
Elaboration required