Date: 05 Aug 2026
Excellency, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps,
The Dean of the Africa Diplomatic Corps,
Secretary (Economic Relations),
My colleague from Parliament, Mr. Shashi Tharoor, who I just saw walk in,
Excellencies, our MEA colleagues,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Namaskar and a very good evening to all of you!
I am truly delighted today to participate at the Africa Day celebrations, and to have this opportunity to address this august gathering. I want to say I really mean it because of all the National Days, I find the Africa Day particularly joyous occasion, one where there is a very strong expression of solidarity, it is probably, in many ways, a very emotional National Day, and you know, I think I speak for every Indian in the room, that today in many ways is an occasion for us to express our very strong sentiments and deep bonding with Africa.
2. Now let me begin my remarks by welcoming in our presence 50 diplomats from Africa who are here in our midst. All of you, welcome! They have come to India for a specially curated training programme at our diplomatic academy, and I acknowledge the Dean of our Sushwa Swaraj Institute of Foreign Studies, who is here as well, and is taking very good care of them.
3. Friends, Africa Day, we all know, commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity in 1963. This historic milestone gave institutional expression to the ideals of Pan-Africanism and to the collective aspirations of the African people.
4. India’s own relations with Africa of course go back into the recesses of history. Indians and Africans have been interacting with each other for millennia. The annual, rhythmic reversal of monsoon winds which we all know, in fact which we all are experiencing right now, has actually been the engine that has historically powered the interaction between the Indian subcontinent and the African continent.
5. Connected, and not separated, by the Indian Ocean, our ancestors have exchanged not just goods, but also cultures, cuisines, philosophies, beliefs, knowledge, folklore and I would even say, ways of life.
6. Our intertwined histories acquired another dimension, a somber one, during the colonial era, when our peoples suffered under the yoke of colonialism. India and Africa stood together in their common struggle for freedom and for human dignity – and that bonding continues even today
7. Indeed, our relationship draws its strength from the ideological affinities between our founding fathers. It was on African soil that Mahatma Gandhi developed and refined the principles of Satyagraha and of non-violence. These principles later inspired visionary African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere and Nelson Mandela among others. As Nelson Mandela summed up this bond with the observation: “You gave us Mohandas Gandhi; we gave you the Mahatma.”
8. Following the attainment of independence by India and African nations, our countries began engaging with one another as confident, sovereign and equal partners. Together, we have laid a strong foundation for India–Africa relations and through it, for the wider framework of South–South cooperation.
9. In contemporary times, our countries have charted parallel trajectories of resurgence and rejuvenation. This is reflected in our strategies for our future development. In India, that ambition is today expressed in Viksit Bharat 2047 or Developed India by 2047. For Africa, it is articulated through Agenda 2063 and respective national development visions.
Excellencies, Friends,
10. India’s approach to Africa is guided by the ten principles outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the Ugandan Parliament in 2018. These Kampala Principles enshrined Africa among the top priorities of India, with engagements through:
• demand-driven development partnership;
• open markets for trade & investment;
• digital revolution for Africa’s development;
• reformed global order;
• and free, inclusive maritime order, among others.
11. I am also pleased to share that over the past decade, more than 150 high-level visits have taken place between us, reflecting sustained political commitment on both sides. Personally, I have had the honor as External Affairs Minister of visiting African nations over 20 times, and I look forward to a few more visits even in the coming months. India has opened up 17 new diplomatic missions in recent years, expanding our resident footprint to 46 African nations.
12. Friends, the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20, to which Ambassador Maliki alluded, during India’s Presidency was a seminal step in the direction of India’s enduring commitment to the African continent and indeed to the Global South. Guided by this spirit, India is a strong votary of Africa’s rightful place in a reformed United Nations Security Council. We similarly seek your support to ensure India’s permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Excellencies, Friends,
13. The theme for Africa Day 2026 is ‘Africa, Land of Rich Culture and Opportunities’, and this truly captures the dynamism of the continent today. India is proud to be one of Africa’s largest trade and investment partners.
14. Our bilateral trade stands at USD 93 billion last year. Similarly, India has emerged as one of the top investors in Africa, with cumulative investments exceeding USD 80 billion, and these are spread across a varied set of sectors from telecom, energy, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, agriculture, and digital services.
15. India stands for an inclusive, demand-driven development cooperation with Africa that enhances local capacity to support national priorities. To this end, I recognize today that Government of India has extended a 190 Line of Credits (LOC), exceeding USD 10 billion for projects in over 40 countries in Africa. So far, more than 220 projects worth USD 4.5 billion have been successfully completed, many others are in the pipeline. Further, since 2015, India has also extended USD 700 million worth of grant assistance to African countries for infrastructure projects, extending medical aid, HADR support, and other such activities. One of them which we are particularly proud of is the fitment of artificial limbs, particularly in conflict areas.
Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
16. Human resource development remains at the heart of India’s engagement with Africa, and all of you diplomats who are here, are example of that. Over the last eleven years, India has offered more than 80,000 scholarships and training opportunities through ITEC, through ICCR, through the CV Raman Fellowships, and through the e-VBAB digital education portals. We have now made a qualitative transition by opening Centres of Excellence in Africa, as well as, and I am particularly proud of these two - the IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar and the National Forensic Sciences University in Uganda. And I want to tell you, I have had the pleasure of visiting the campuses of both these institutions.
17. During times of crisis, our partnership has repeatedly proven its strength and resilience. Whether it was the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, India has always stood firmly with African nations - guided by the ancient Indian philosophy of “Vasudhev Kutumbakam” - the world is one family, and we know that Africa has a similar outlook in ‘Ubuntu’, i.e. ‘I am because we are’.
18. At a time when conflicts increasingly impact the Global South, our partnership focusses has also focused on food security. Recent examples include supply of food grains to Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Botswana, and Sierra Leone. Our experience in reviving millet production is also very useful for African nations. In addition, medicines, vaccines, medical equipment, and disaster relief materials have been sent to over 25 African countries in the last 5 years as a gesture of our solidarity.
19. Friends, Peace and security in Africa are of vital importance to India. We have stood with African partners through peacekeeping, defence training, capacity building and maritime cooperation. Guided by Vision MAHASAGAR, we shall continue to work towards safer sea lanes, stronger maritime domain awareness, anti-piracy efforts and cooperative responses to emerging challenges.
20. Another pillar of our wide-ranging engagement is that of defence training and maritime cooperation. Indian Military Training Teams are undertaking capacity building today in Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Namibia to name a few. At the same time, professionals from Cabo Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo and Namibia, are benefiting from our ITEC training slots.
21. India also participates in multilateral defence and maritime exercises with African countries, including the AFINDEX 2023, Bright Star in 2023 and 2025, IBSAMAR exercise in 2024, and the AIKEYME 2025 in Tanzania. Bilaterally, we also have Exercise Lamitiye with Mauritius, and Exercise Cyclone with Egypt.
Friends,
22. Earlier this year, we were ready to host the African leadership at the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit. Unfortunately, the outbreak of Ebola virus led to the postponement of the Summit. The decision to postpone it was jointly taken by our partners at the African Union and India. We continue to be in close contact with the African Union and look forward to an early opportunity that is mutually convenient to reconvene the IAFS-IV.
23. As a trusted partner of Africa, India has pledged to give a package of USD 10 million, of in-kind medical equipment and support, to be given to Africa CDC and partner countries at risk. I am pleased to share with you today that we have already extended three tranches of aid as a part of our pledge.
Friends,
24. Africa today stands at the cusp of a transformation, with its immense demographic strength, its vast natural resources, and its great entrepreneurial energy. India too, continues its confident journey of innovation-led rapid growth and qualitative transformation. Together, we represent not only a very significant share of the world’s population but also a powerful joint force for global progress. Building on our shared foundations and ambitions, our two sides are ready to grasp the opportunities, and co-create a bright future, one based on innovation & sustainability, and that drives our countries, and the Global South and the world towards a better tomorrow.
25. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me conclude with a very clear message. Africa is our partner. Africa is our priority. Whether we speak of a multipolar world order or of reformed multilateralism, it is our firm conviction that it will happen only when Africa is given its due place. As Prime Minister Modi has emphasized, this century is ours to shape and to build. And we will surely do so because the heart beats of Indians and Africans beat in rhythm.
I thank you for your kind attention, and I wish you a very very happy Africa Day 2026. Thank you!
New Delhi
August 05, 2026
