In Race to Africa, India Tiptoes to Catch Up With China

The upcoming India-Africa summit is an ambitious diplomatic outreach as Delhi tries to woo Africa, writes Seema Guha

Still Behind China

• India tries to catch pace with China as Beijing makes huge forays in Africa
• Modi tries to woo African leaders, India-Africa summit slated for October 29-30 in New Delhi
• Driven by huge funds, China trying to tap the potential that exists in energy sector in Africa
• India lost it out to China when it could do little at the time of Ebola outbreak, as well as during crisis triggered by the terrorist group Boko Haram

The UPA’s Manmohan Singh had started it and now Narendra Modi is all set to woo African leaders as India plays catch-up with China for access to the continent’s natural wealth. India has hosted African leaders before, but as is usual with Modi, this will be on a much bigger canvas. Invites will go out to 55 leaders, including the chairman of the African Union.

“It will be India’s most ambitious diplomatic outreach,’’ says  Syed Akbaruddin, chief co-ordinator of the India-Africa Summit, as New Delhi prepares to organise this mega event on October 29-30.

Junior minister in the MEA, V K Singh, is in Africa as the PM’s special envoy. He has already been to Kenya, Mozambique and South Sudan to personally hand over the invites. Other special envoys will follow to cover the other countries.

India’s ties with Africa were forged on the anti-imperialist struggle against colonial rule. After Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s interest in Africa flagged, with the notable exception of South Africa where New Delhi played a leading diplomatic role in the anti-apartheid struggle.

Renewed Interest

There is, however, a renewed interest in Africa, triggered by China’s rapacious hunger for energy which has led to its overwhelming presence there. China is now all over Africa and not just India but the US too is giving more attention to the continent.

China hosted 48 African leaders in 2006. This was one of the biggest international summits organised to mark its friendship with the continent’s leaders. New Delhi followed suit with the Africa-India Forum in Delhi in 2008 and followed it up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attending the second summit held with African leaders in Ethiopia in May 2012.

China’s Advance

China is way ahead of India in wooing African nations. Flushed with funds and driven by a hunger for energy to fuel its growth, China has been making huge forays in the continent. It is building roads, railways and stadiums, modernising ports (a $10-billion-plus port in Tanzania) and offering huge money to get oil, gas, zinc, gold, copper and other minerals out of African countries.

When China executes a project it flies in plane-loads of its own workers to finish the job in time. This has endeared China to many African leaders. Between 2000 and 2011 China invested $75 billion in Africa. China-Africa trade is roughly between $180 and $200 billion. Last year, China pledged $20 billion in infrastructure projects across Africa. Countries like Niger and Chad receive more funds from China than from the IMF.

India is doing its bit to make its presence felt but remains far behind China. Unlike China, India’s approach has been more towards building capacity by training people, offering scholarships and sustained involvement in projects. India has already disbursed a line of credit amounting to $6 billion in the last few years.

The pan-African network is one such project. The first phase covered 11 countries, the second 12 more. The e-network project connects India with all African Union states by satellite and fibre optic network for sharing India’s expertise in education and health care.

Beyond Academic Aid

“India cannot keep up with China’s cheque book diplomacy and must try something innovative. The ITEK programme and scholarships to African students are fine, but we need a new strategy,’’ said Sreeram Chaulia, Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs. He is working on a project to set up an Indian version of the Peace Corps and send out young educated girls and boys to African countries.

Chaulia believes India has lost several opportunities to make a difference in Africa. During Africa’s major crisis, triggered by the ebola outbreak, New Delhi did little. Again when Christian girls from Nigeria were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants, every country tried to help. China sent reconnaissance equipment. India did nothing.

“It is not just a question of doling out funds. What India needs to do is to engage constantly with Africa at several levels,’’ said Ruchita Beri, who works on Africa at the IDSA. Though he has visited countries, Modi has not been to any African country. But this is perhaps because the third India-Africa summit will be held in Delhi later this year.

(The writer is a Delhi-based freelance journalist.)