It was a moment of great pride 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 significant contributions to fostering ties between the two countries through his visionary leadership.
Two aspects of this recognition stand out. Firstly, Modi is the first foreign leader to receive this award since 1969. Secondly, this accolade underscores India’s emergence as a global powerhouse, highlighting the trust and recognition Modi has gained for his commitment to the Global South. The only other foreign dignitary to receive this honour was Queen Elizabeth, shortly after Nigeria gained independence.
The G20 Invitation
One of the most cherished moments during India’s hosting of the G20 summit in September last year was Prime Minister Modi’s invitation for the African Union, represented by Chairperson Azali Assoumani, to join the G20 as a permanent member. The African Union, comprising 55 member states, now holds the same status as the European Union—the only other regional bloc with full membership. This move symbolised India’s dedication to fostering inclusive global governance and amplifying Africa’s voice on the world stage.
India’s relationship with African nations has deep roots, but despite decades of diplomatic rhetoric, these ties often remained lukewarm. To Modi’s credit, he has revitalised India-Africa relations, making them a priority and pursuing multi-dimensional partnerships. Many view this as India’s strategic response to China’s growing influence in the region.
Modi has ushered in a new era of multilateralism by bringing the concerns of the Global South into the mainstream international discourse. His approach reflects a commitment to ensuring that developing nations have a say in shaping the global narrative. To an external observer, it appears that Modi has personalised diplomacy while keeping India’s national interests paramount.
An Old Association
Modi’s interest in Africa predates his tenure as Prime Minister. Before 2014, as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi initiated efforts to engage with African nations. While the Gujarati community has long-standing ties with Africa, official engagement between Gujarat and African countries had been minimal. In 2009, Modi visited Uganda to invite investors to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit. In 2011, he hosted Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza, at the summit, fostering investment alliances that laid the groundwork for deeper bilateral relations. These connections have strengthened further during Modi’s time as Prime Minister as his government expanded its foreign policy initiatives.
Consider the following milestones that have bolstered India’s relations with Africa under Modi’s leadership:
- In 2015, India hosted the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, which saw participation from African nations increase more than fourfold, signalling a shift towards deeper and more comprehensive engagement.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s unwavering support reinforced its “first responder” philosophy, supplying vaccines and essential medical supplies to at least 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 encouraged Modi to bring Ayurveda to Africa, suggesting it could harness indigenous plants for therapeutic use and benefit countless people.
- Over the past decade, India has significantly boosted its development partnership with Africa, investing over $12.37 billion in 206 infrastructure projects across 43 African countries.
- Nearly 40,000 Africans have received training in India through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program over the last 10 years.
- India launched the second phase of its tele-education and telemedicine project, and since 2019, more than 15,000 youth from 22 African countries have received scholarships for various technical degree and diploma courses.
For many Indians, their understanding of Africa is rooted in its connection with Mahatma Gandhi. While Gandhi laid the philosophical foundation for India-Africa solidarity, some argue that Modi has transformed that vision into actionable, impactful policies, making it a cornerstone of India’s global strategy.
(The author is Consulting Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author