(4 minutes read)
More than 400 African business delegates and policymakers are deliberating how to improve India-African business ties in the capital city of India – New Delhi along with an equal number of Indian businessmen drawn from diverse business interests including mining, manufacturing, food processing, skill development, defense, infrastructure development, energy solutions, IT development, among others.
More than 400 African business delegates and policymakers are deliberating how to improve India-African business ties in the capital city of India – New Delhi along with an equal number of Indian businessmen drawn from diverse business interests including mining, manufacturing, food processing, skill development, defense, infrastructure development, energy solutions, IT development, among others. The two-day event hosted jointly by the Government of India in association with the apex business chamber – Confederation of Indian Industry and EXIM Bank of India is incidentally the 17th conclave to cement the bilateral relations with the two regions.
Speaking at the occasion, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said; “India and Africa can work together to bring cost-effective solutions in several areas like drinking water, logistics, health care, education, Fintech, solar power among others.” Stressing on India’s African engagement, the commerce minister, who also holds the industry portfolio, said that the present government was giving utmost importance to strengthening bilateral economic ties for mutual advantage.
The merchandise trade between the two regions grew by 34 percent from US$67 billion in 2019-20 to US$ 89 billion in 2021-22. Indian companies have a sizeable presence in several countries in Africa. Also, it is spearheading some of the programs aimed at the common man such as e-VidyaBharati and e-ArogyaBharati initiatives supporting education and health care in Africa.
The minister also referred to the Indian knowledge in health care and education and how it would help in the engagement with the African region. Areas that need focused attention in the region are solar power, clean energy, energy security, jobs creation, defense Trade, physical and digital infrastructure, and Co-creating start-up ecosystem.
The two-day conclave, to be continued to the second, also, was addressed among others, by Mr. Marie Cyril Eddy Boissezon, Vice President of Mauritius, Mr. Badara A. Joof, Vice President, Republic of The Gambia, Ms. W.K. Mutale Nalemango, Vice President, Republic of Zambia, and Ms. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister, Republic of Namibia. They have stressed the investment opportunities in their respective countries and invited Indian investments. Most of the visiting dignitaries touched upon the importance of being assigned in their respective countries for private investments.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/india-emerges-a-key-market-for-kenyas-tourism-sector/
https://trendsnafrica.com/new-shipping-service-connecting-mozambique-with-the-middle-east-and-india/
A few African delegates whom www.trendsnafrica.com talked to have stressed the need for greater Indian investments in food processing, mining, and manufacturing since almost all countries in the continent have been embarking on value addition to their primary products and employment generation. A few delegates expressed the hope that the presence of a large number of Indian Diaspora would be an enabler for India to focus on Africa for getting the contract for large projects.
