India Africa Defence Conclave: A curtain raiser
India and Africa substantially upgraded their historic partnership in 2008 when the first India Africa Forum Summit was hosted by India. Since then both sides have built on this strong foundation by building a multifaceted relationship, including in defence, based on equality, mutual trust, and shared benefit.
India and Africa have recognized the common challenges facing the world today, including climate change, food, water, energy, health, and financial crises. Both are committed to a balanced outcome of the climate change negotiations; reform of the UN are goals that both identify with. About international security, both are equally concerned with the dangers associated with proliferation of nuclear weapons, and threat posed by international terrorism and organized crime. Both sides seek cooperation in combating and eradicating the threat posed by piracy in the Indian Ocean Region. India has over the years contributed substantially to UN Peacekeeping Operations in the continent and has also engaged in training and capacity building among African military personnel. India has used its development cooperation to build coastal surveillance of IOR littoral, to send food aid and vaccines to mitigate the effects of pandemic and Ukraine war. The prospects of Indian defence exports to Africa are an added salience in the growing partnership.
The foundation of India Africa defence relations are based on the two guiding principles, namely, SAGAR, Security and Growth for All in the region and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakkam, the World is One family.
The first ever India Africa Defence Ministers Conclave was held on Feb 6, 2020, in Lucknow in conjunction with the DefExpo, co-organized by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs. Over 154 delegates from Africa including defence ministers from 14 African countries and Service Chiefs from 38 countries participated. A joint declaration, Lucknow Declaration was adopted at the Conclave.
In furtherance, India has institutionalized the India Africa defense Dialogue during successive Def Expos to be held once every two years. This will ‘help build on the existing partnerships between African countries and India and to explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagement including in capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security, and counter terrorism’.
The Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies (IDSA) will be the knowledge partner of India Africa Defence dialogue and
Rajnath Singh, India’s Defence Minister will host the Defence Ministers of African nations at the next Def Expo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on March 18-20, 2022. The broad theme will be ‘India and Africa-adopting strategy for synergizing and strengthening defense and security cooperation, to explore new areas for convergence for mutual engagements.’Covid Pandemic and the collateral damage of the Ukraine war have emerged as major challenges since the last dialogue was held.
Exploring common solutions to common problems will be the overarching theme in Gandhinagar later this week. The world has become flatter with the emergence of non state actors, gray zone tactics, disruptive technologies, and cyber capabilities. Recognizing the disruptive effect of the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war there is scope to work together in dealing with these challenges in the spirit of mutual trust, equality, and shared benefit.
India could also cooperate with countries such as Japan, US, Australia, and UAE in handling common problems. The shifting of the problem of piracy to the Gulf of Guinea gives India the opportunity to work with France for ensuring maritime security in the region. Given the gaining traction in the Indo-Pacific, through the QUAD processes, India Africa cooperation becomes significant as these two regions are welded together by common oceanic spaces.
India and Africa built their relationship by establishing military academies in Ethiopia and Nigeria, training personnel (Nigerian President is alumni of DSSC), and participation in the UNPKO. Today, the focus has shifted towards non-traditional security domains, such as counter-terrorism, piracy, and climate change, with primacy given to piracy. Development and security are intertwined and underdevelopment, directly or indirectly undermines African security. Moreover, security enables and protects the fruit of development.
Furthermore, health-based concerns have become securitized, as discussions surrounding the outbreak of Ebola and Covid pandemic have found a place on the international agenda and have become national security priorities.
The critical juncture that the world finds itself in amid great uncertainty and rupture has provided fertile ground for India and Africa security cooperation. However, security has deteriorated in Africa, more so in the Sahel region, over the years despite foreign troops’ presence and financial assistance, and France’s decision to exit from Mali. Such challenges have emerged from Africa’s post-colonial legacy, dysfunctional state security apparatus, and arms and narco-trafficking, food insecurity, and the youth bulge with increasing demands to address unemployment. Consequently, alternate power centers have come to the fore.
It is also worrisome that some of Africa’s most powerful states Nigeria and South Africa are experiencing turmoil as deteriorating socio-economic conditions have resulted in ethnic secessionism, political agitation, and electoral violence. Africa’s stand by forces and regional economic communities have failed to address these issues. Given that governance determines the size, longevity and success of terrorist groups, the view from Africa is that India needs to prioritize good governance in its security relations with Africa. In other words, given its growing interest in Africa, India should engage more deeply and intrusively.
In recognition of the strides made by India in defence production, Indian and African policy makers have called for deeper cooperation in the domain of defence industries through investments, joint ventures in defence equipment software, digital defence, R&D, defence equipment, spares, and their maintenance in a sustainable way.
Some of the countries affected by coups, civil wars and insurgencies are also sources of essential minerals such as cobalt, copper and bauxite. As long-term investments face security challenges, China, for instance, tries to influence geopolitical developments in its favor. In June, China organized a peace conference in the Horn of Africa, where the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia has claimed thousands of lives, and in 2011 established the first overseas military base in Djibouti; under Xi Jinping China has tried to integrate security cooperation under its Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.These outside power activities are likely to continue as competition intensifies between china and the US (and its allies) over critical materials.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has disrupted Africa’s promising recovery from Covid 19 pandemic by raising food and fuel prices, tightening the fiscal space, constraining green transitions, and reducing the flow of development finance in the continent.
The critical question is how Africa can leverage its abundant resources and human capabilities to address the short-term impact of the war and advance their long-term development and security needs. While the level of trade with Russia and Ukraine is insignificant some African nations rely heavily on these two countries for critical imports, particularly wheat, fertilizers, and steel. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, in North Africa, Nigeria in West Africa, Ethiopia and Sudan in east Africa, and South Africa account for 80 percent of wheat imports. The sanctions imposed on Russia further exacerbate commercial flows.
Some regions including the Horn of Africa and Sahel region are at greater risk of food insecurity due to country specific shocks, climate change, export restrictions, and stockpiling, especially if the rising cost of fertilizer and other energy inputs will negatively impact the next agriculture season because of the ongoing conflict. Increasing food insecurity through increase in food prices is bound to increase the likelihood of protests and armed conflict. The most vulnerable are the fragile states or the Sahelian countries, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania.
The challenge is how to best use the vast arable lands of the continent mired with internal conflicts. In the Ukraine war the global South has stood by Russia and avoided taking sides. The war may yet be a silver lining to compel Africa to reduce its dependence on imports, including oil.
Despite being well-endowed with natural energy resources, Africa faces critical challenges to its energy sector, mainly lack of access, poor infrastructure, low purchasing power, and low energy efficiency, which remain major obstacles to the attainment of full economic growth. Meanwhile, India’s ability to maintain economic growth will be heavily influenced by how it manages its growing energy demands. India is expected to import 90% of its petroleum supply by 2050 if it continues its current growth trajectory. In this context, India will increasingly look at Africa to diversify its energy sources. Energy has also emerged at the forefront of India’s strategy in Africa.
The collateral damage of the Covid 19 and Ukraine conflict will be the big elephant in the room in the next Conclave. India has stood by the Global South in reaching vaccines and food to African countries when these were required most, where other advanced states failed. Several countries from the continent have spoken for India at the UN at its current session, increasingly calling into question the relevance of the UN.
There is an increasing recognition of the cross-cutting nature of security issues. Global concerns such as climate change, pandemics, energy security, food security and terrorism demand increased cooperation across national borders. It is crucial to understand African priorities and challenges to enhance cooperation. It is essential to learn from each other’s experiences and construct a common discourse on issues of mutual interest. It is also important to study what other powers are doing in Africa. The forthcoming India Africa Defense Conclave certainly would be an occasion to exchange notes, share concerns and listen to African voices which would improve India’s policy approaches to Africa.
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