India is being recognized as a reliable partner for African nations, with its engagement focused on government-to-government cooperation across infrastructure, health, security, and enterprise development. According to a report in Kenya’s Capital News, India’s approach emphasizes South–South collaboration, channeling capital through African institutions rather than binding individual governments to foreign contractors.
In August, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development secured a USD 40 million line of credit from India’s Exim Bank to fund projects in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and health. This model reflects African priorities, African intermediaries, Indian financing, and technical expertise.
Security cooperation follows the same principle. India trains, equips, and conducts joint exercises with African navies from the Gulf of Aden to the Mozambique Channel. In June, India and South Africa signed submarine cooperation agreements, while Tanzania hosted DefExpo 2025 featuring two dozen Indian firms offering locally suited technologies.
India’s role in health is described as textbook partnership. In June, the African Union and India launched new initiatives in affordable medicines, digital health, and telemedicine. Uganda’s nationwide rollout of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine is powered by doses manufactured at India’s Serum Institute, enabling population-level protection. India provides technology transfer, cost-sensitive solutions, and systems support.
In the critical minerals sector, India is forging transparent rare-earth partnerships with Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Côte d’Ivoire. These agreements include research, skills transfer, and industrial development, reflecting economic statecraft through contracts and classrooms.
As G20 president in 2024, India championed Africa’s permanent membership, responding to long-standing calls for global inclusion. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India supplied vaccines and medical goods to dozens of African countries in acts of solidarity.
