INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
India- Africa Relations
Context
- The Commerce Ministry and Indian High Commissions and Embassies of eleven African countries arranged an interaction over Digital Video Conference (DVC) with the Indian business community in Africa.
- The interactions with Indian Diaspora were held in Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and Mauritius, Nigeria, Mozambique, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, and Madagascar.
- This initiative was held in order to build an effective engagement with the Indian Diaspora in African order to further deepen and strengthen India-Africa trade ties.
Historical Relations between India and Africa
- India’s relations with Africa date back several centuries.
- The ties between the two regions date back to the ancient civilizations.
- There are factors such as the cultural connect, colonial past and development hurdles that are more or less common to both and thus bring each other much closer.
- The geographical proximity and easy navigability in Indian Ocean resulted in well-established trade network between India and the Swahili Coast predating European exploration.
- More concrete relation between India and Africa begins to emerge during the Islamic age which is evident through the accounts of Venetian traveller Marco Polo.
- The foundations of India-Africa relations in modern times were laid by Mahatma Gandhi. According to him, there will be “commerce of ideas and services and not of raw materials and goods like imperialist powers”.
- After India got independent, India raised voice for African liberation taking their case to all the available international forums.
- End of racial struggle and decolonization became the rallying point of India–Africa relations.
- India’s policy of Non Aligned Movement (NAM) provided the world with the third front at the time of heightened cold war rivalry between US and USSR, where African nations acted as the strengthening factor.
- Indian diaspora continues to live in African countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and Mauritius, Nigeria, Mozambique, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, and Madagascar.
- It is this sense of solidarity, mutual trust and confidence born in the difficult days of the Cold War which continues to drive India-Africa cooperation to this day.
Importance of Africa for India
Geostrategic
- Africa is critical to India’s security, especially the Horn of Africa region, because of its proximity with India. The threat of radicalism, piracy, organized crime emerges from this region.
- Africa is resource-rich – moving from being an underdeveloped continent to having fast-growing economies
- India’s ambition to become a permanent member of UNSC needs support from all 54 countries of the continent.
Economic
- African continent has a population of over one billion with a combined GDP of 2.5 trillion dollars making it a huge potential market.
- Africa has emerged as an important market for Indian goods, agribusiness, pharmaceuticals and services; & in return proves to be a vital element in India’s quest for strategic minerals and other natural resources.
- Africa also contains rich reservoir of valuable minerals, metals including gold and diamond.
- Africa is crucial to the India-fostered International Solar Alliance. Over a dozen of the ISA’s members are from Africa, the continental powerhouse of solar energy.
- Africa can help us in diversifying our energy sources, which is one of the stated objectives of our Integrated Energy Policy.
- Africa has ample agricultural land which cab address India’s food security. India is looking at leasing land in Africa to overcome the land deficit that we face in terms of arable land.
Geopolitical
- Support of African countries is important for India’s aim of gaining a permanent seat in UNSC.
- Africa provides a space for displaying both India’s soft and hard power.
- India has been actively involved in peace and stability of African countries through UN Peace keeping operations.
- India is involved in capacity building of African countries. Africa is also the largest beneficiary of India’s ITEC programme.
Present status of India-Africa relationships
- Today the Indian-African diplomatic relations range from India – Africa Forum Summit (IAFS), India Regional Economic Communities (RECs) meetings, annual India – Africa trade ministers meeting along with others.
- It goes ahead with business meetings such as the ‘Pan Africa e-network’ and multilateral forums such as the ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation’ (IOR – ARC)’.
- Strengthened the political bond through forums and groupings such as IBSA and BRICS.
- Business bodies such as the CII and FICCI are playing a very substantial role in bringing Africa and India together.
Strategies adopted by India
- Pan African level engagement
- Partnership with regional organization
- Development partnership through IBSA and BRICS
- Bilateral engagement with countries
- Involving Indian communities and Indian Diaspora
India-Africa Areas of Cooperation
- Trade – Indian-African synergies can be used for expanding sectors like tourism, banking, telecommunications, manufacturing and agriculture.
- Security – Being the littoral states in the Indian Ocean, they can work towards establishing mechanisms to deal with threats to regional security including terrorism and piracy.
- Capacity Building – Africa’s expectation from India in the field of public health goes beyond just the supply of affordable medicine to cover assistance in developing the continent’s public health services capacities.
- Maritime Cooperation – development of blue economy and renewable energy for the continent’s growth can be realized by Indian experience and the expertise to develop and manage the maritime resources.
- Food Security – India and Africa face similar challenges in regards to hunger and under nutrition. Importing food grains from African nations will address nation’s food security problem.
Challenges for India
- There is “considerable competition” for India within Asia for ambitious African projects.
- China strong presence in the continent.
- Political instability in number of African Nation may impact India’s long term investment opportunities.
- An extraordinary increase in terrorist attacks by extremists connected to al-Qaida and ISIS across Africa recently.
- In recent months, there has been a spate of assaults on Africans based in India. These assaults generate a negative image of India in Africa.
- Being “sensitive” towards local concerns and contribute to the development and prosperity of local communities is a prerequisite.
- Piracy related activities off the coast of Somalia.
- Racial discrimination is one of the biggest challenges in front of both the regions.
- The vicious cycle of poverty, unemployment, food security, environmental awareness, disease out breaks, poor health facilities and infrastructure.
Way forward
- India’s total trade with the African region during 2017-18 was USD 62.69 billion.
- India’s share of exports to African countries as a percentage of India’s total exports to the world was of the order of 8.21% in 2017-18.
- Africa region’s share in India’s total imports from the World accounted for 8.12% in 2017-18.
- The Indian community in Africa is playing a vital role in all fields like politics, business and education.
- As per the latest available estimatesthe current strength of the Indian Diaspora in the African countries is 2.8 million.
- The inherent strength of India in Africa is its rich and vast Diaspora which has established strong links with the political, economic and social fabric of the African continent.
- In order to keep the momentum of building political and economic ties with this increasingly important region, steps should be taken towards tailoring and funding joint projects for the sustainable development of the Africa.
ORGANISATIONS
Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
Context
- Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is celebrating its 59th Raising Day on 07 May 2019.
Background
- The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India’s borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.
- In order to ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Board and Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.
Organizational Structure and functions
- The BRO consists of Border Roads Wing under the Ministry of Defense and the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF).
- The BRO is engaged in road construction to provide connectivity to difficult and inaccessible regions in the border areas of the country.
- BRO is entrusted for construction of Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, Causeways, Helipads and Airfields.
- It is staffed by officers and troops drawn from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Military Police and army personnel on extra regimental employment.
- Currently, the organisation maintains operations in twenty-one states, one UT (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), and neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
- The BRO operates and maintains over 32,885 kilometres of roads and about 12,200 meters of permanent bridges in the country.
Role of the BRO
During Peace
- To Develop & Maintain the Operational Road Infrastructure of General Staff (GS) in the Border Areas.
- To Contribute to the Socio-Economic Development of the Border States.
During War
- To Develop & Maintain Roads to Keep Line of Control through in Original Sectors and Re-deployed Sectors.
- To Execute Additional Tasks as laid down by the Govt Contributing to the War Effort.
Significance of BRO
- The Border Roads Organization has played a very important role in both maintenance of security and in the development of border areas.
- Most of the development in the North Eastern states of India can be attributed to the relentless work done by the BRO.
- Socio economic development in the most inaccessible nooks and corners of our country are a result of the infrastructural work undertaken by the BRO.
- Apart from its work in India, the BRO has undertaken work in numerous countries thus having contributed immensely towards maintaining friendly and diplomatic relations.
- The highly-skilled BRO personnel undertook and successfully completed construction of the Delaram-Zaranj Highway in Afghanistan in 2008. The Farkhor and Ayni air bases of Tajikistan were also restored and repaired by the BRO.
- The BRO works in close association with the Indian Army in cases of natural disasters.
- It is the brave men of the BRO who were responsible for much of the reconstruction work undertaken as a result of the 2004 Tsunami in Tamil Nadu, the 2010 Ladakh flash floods and even during the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Floods.
Keynotes
- The organisation is now executing works with a combination of departmental, contractual and EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) mode, thus enhancing our capabilities manifold.
- Necessary coordination between BRO and Army units or formations at all levels is also being ensured to plan and execute creation, up-gradation and maintenance of infrastructure along our borders to meet our overall tactical and strategic goals.
