Ayanangsha Maitra
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Thursday elevated the launch of the India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) logo and website into a broader articulation of India–Africa ties, emphasising stability and shared purpose at a time of global uncertainty.
In a world currently juggling geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, Jaishankar positioned the upcoming IAFS stands for something steady.
“Spritit captures the essence of our relations that goes beyond transactions and marked by shareved values, mutual respect, solidarity and collaboration. our partnership seeks not just economic growth but meaningful transformation, strengthening institutions and creating opportunity. As world navigates complex geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges , our partnership assumes particular significance,”
“This (referring to the summit) will be a message of stability in a turbulent world, of reliability in a uncertain one and and solidarity in difficult time,” he said.
India and Africa are shaping a better world, Jaishankar affirmed .
Addressing the Dean and heads of African diplomatic missions on the launch of the website and logo , Jaishankar stitched together a narrative that went well beyond pixels and branding.
“Vikshit Bharat 2047 and Africa’s Agenda 2063 are complementary roadmaps aimed at advancing shared prosperity and progress, ” he said.
With over 20 visits to Africa under his belt and 17 new Indian missions recently opened -bringing the total to 46, India is clearly investing in more than just frequent flyer miles—it’s building presence with intent.
Jaishankar highlighted that a defining feature of India–Africa ties is their shared push for a more inclusive global order. A standout moment in that journey came in 2023, when the African Union secured permanent membership in the G20 during India’s presidency- a move he framed as giving the Global South a rightful seat at the decision-making table.
Beyond diplomacy, the partnership is getting hands-on. From solar alliances to biofuel collaborations and even big cat conservation initiatives, India is expanding its global footprint while keeping Africa close at the core, he mentioned. Add to that robust trade growth, development projects across energy, agriculture, healthcare, and digital payments—and the relationship starts to look less like cooperation and more like co-creation, he opined on Thursday.
Educational and capacity-building efforts are also quietly doing the heavy lifting. Institutions in Zanzibar, Uganda, and Rwanda, along with scholarships and training programs, are shaping future talent pipelines—because geopolitics, it turns out, runs on human capital too.
Africa is the largest recipient of Indian overseas development support beyond our immediate neighbourhood. 3 million strong Indian diaspora shape cultural ties and bridge societies, EAM affirmed.
“India Africa Forum summit truly presents opportunity to deep ties,” he added.
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