It was a second of nice satisfaction for India when the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, conferred Nigeria’s highest civilian award, the ‘Grand Commander of the Order of Niger’, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This honour recognised Modi’s statesmanship and vital contributions to fostering ties between the 2 nations by way of his visionary management.
Two elements of this recognition stand out. Firstly, Modi is the primary overseas chief to obtain this award since 1969. Secondly, this accolade underscores India’s emergence as a worldwide powerhouse, highlighting the belief and recognition Modi has gained for his dedication to the International South. The one different overseas dignitary to obtain this honour was Queen Elizabeth, shortly after Nigeria gained independence.
The G20 Invitation
One of the cherished moments throughout India’s internet hosting of the G20 summit in September final 12 months was Prime Minister Modi’s invitation for the African Union, represented by Chairperson Azali Assoumani, to hitch the G20 as a everlasting member. The African Union, comprising 55 member states, now holds the identical standing because the European Union—the one different regional bloc with full membership. This transfer symbolised India’s dedication to fostering inclusive international governance and amplifying Africa’s voice on the world stage.
India’s relationship with African nations has deep roots, however regardless of a long time of diplomatic rhetoric, these ties usually remained lukewarm. To Modi’s credit score, he has revitalised India-Africa relations, making them a precedence and pursuing multi-dimensional partnerships. Many view this as India’s strategic response to China’s rising affect within the area.
Modi has ushered in a brand new period of multilateralism by bringing the considerations of the International South into the mainstream worldwide discourse. His method displays a dedication to making sure that growing nations have a say in shaping the worldwide narrative. To an exterior observer, it seems that Modi has personalised diplomacy whereas conserving India’s nationwide pursuits paramount.
An Outdated Affiliation
Modi’s curiosity in Africa predates his tenure as Prime Minister. Earlier than 2014, as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi initiated efforts to interact with African nations. Whereas the Gujarati group has long-standing ties with Africa, official engagement between Gujarat and African nations had been minimal. In 2009, Modi visited Uganda to ask traders to the Vibrant Gujarat International Buyers Summit. In 2011, he hosted Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza, on the summit, fostering funding alliances that laid the groundwork for deeper bilateral relations. These connections have strengthened additional throughout Modi’s time as Prime Minister as his authorities expanded its overseas coverage initiatives.
Think about the next milestones which have bolstered India’s relations with Africa underneath Modi’s management:
- In 2015, India hosted the third India-Africa Discussion board Summit in New Delhi, which noticed participation from African nations enhance greater than fourfold, signalling a shift in direction of deeper and extra complete engagement.
- Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s unwavering assist strengthened its “first responder” philosophy, supplying vaccines and important medical provides to a minimum of 25 African nations.
- In 2022, former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga expressed his gratitude to Modi, sharing how Ayurveda restored his daughter’s eyesight. Odinga even inspired Modi to carry Ayurveda to Africa, suggesting it might harness indigenous crops for therapeutic use and profit numerous folks.
- Over the previous decade, India has considerably boosted its growth partnership with Africa, investing over $12.37 billion in 206 infrastructure tasks throughout 43 African nations.
- Practically 40,000 Africans have acquired coaching in India by way of the Indian Technical and Financial Cooperation (ITEC) program over the past 10 years.
- India launched the second section of its tele-education and telemedicine challenge, and since 2019, greater than 15,000 youth from 22 African nations have acquired scholarships for numerous technical diploma and diploma programs.
For a lot of Indians, their understanding of Africa is rooted in its reference to Mahatma Gandhi. Whereas Gandhi laid the philosophical basis for India-Africa solidarity, some argue that Modi has reworked that imaginative and prescient into actionable, impactful insurance policies, making it a cornerstone of India’s international technique.
(The creator is Consulting Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the creator