Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword i

Preface iii

Abstract vii

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1: Evolution of Modi Government’s Africa Policy (2014–2024) 1

I. The Strategic Reorientation: From “Balancing” to “Leading Power” 2
   1. The Theoretical Divide: Continuity vs. Change 2
   2. The Modi Doctrine: Centralization and Pragmatism 8

II. The Modi Doctrine: Centralization and Pragmatism 10
   1. The Guiding Principle: The Krishna Choice Philosophy 11
   2. The Foundational Pillar: Economic Priority and Domestic Demand 12
   3. The Geopolitical Imperative: Integrating Africa into the Indo-Pacific Framework 17

III. Phase-Based Evolution of Modi’s Africa Policy (2014–2024) 24
   1. Phase 1: Institutional Consolidation and Mechanism Revival (2014–2018) 28
   2. Phase 2: Strategic Deepening and Blueprint Formulation (2018–2022) 33
   3. Phase 3: Post-Pandemic Recalibration and Global South Leadership (2022–2024) 35
Summary 47

Chapter 2: The Strategic Rationale Behind Modi’s Africa Policy 57

I. The Overarching Goal: Asserting Global Status and
Diplomatic Confidence 58
   1. A Proactive and Assertive Diplomatic Posture 58
   2. Explicit Pursuit of Great Power Status 60
   3. Philosophical Shift: Pragmatism Over Traditional Principle 63

II. Core Economic Drivers and Resource Security Imperatives 83
   1. Securing Energy Supplies and Critical Resources 84
   2. Market Expansion and Foreign Direct Investment 85
   3. Addressing Demographic Dividend and Labor Needs 85

III. Geopolitical Competition and Regional Security Objectives 87
   1. The Indo-Pacific Nexus and Counterbalancing China 88
   2. Maritime Security and the SAGAR Vision 90
   3. Leveraging Soft Power and Diaspora Diplomacy 92
Summary 96

Chapter 3: Key Areas of Cooperation Under the Modi Government’s Africa Policy 105
I. Redefining Partnership: Diplomacy, Status, and Rhetorical Alignment 107
   1. Elevating the Diplomatic Platform: High-Level Engagement 108
   2. The Rhetorical Anchors: Sister Continent and Global South Leadership 112
   3. Institutional Diplomacy: Championing the African Union at the G20 116

II. The Economic and Development Pillars: Capacity, Trade, and Sectoral Focus 119
   1. Technical Cooperation and Human Resource Development (HRD) 121
   2. Trade and Investment Facilitation 122
   3. Focus Sectors: Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture, and Energy 126

III. The Security and Geopolitical Dimension: Maritime and Defence Cooperation 131
   1. The Maritime Security Imperative: Extending the SAGAR Vision 132
   2. Defence Capacity Building and Military Education 133

IV. Japan and UAE as India’s collaborator on African countries’ development cooperation 136
   1. Significance of India-Japan Cooperation in Africa 136
   2. Navigating Challenges and Revitalizing India Japan Collaboration 138
   3. India, Africa, and UAE: Existing Bilateral Ties 138
   4. The evolution of India-Africa-UAE Cooperation 140
Summary 142

Chapter 4: The Distinctive Features of Modi’s Africa Policy 153

I. Pragmatic Prioritization: The “India First” Economic Doctrine 154
   1. Economy-First Approach Over Ideology 162
   2. Resource-Driven Diplomacy and Supply Chain Security 164
   3. Leveraging Concessional Financing for Exports 165

II. The Institutional Framework: Decentralization and Flexibility 167
   1. Multi-Layered Engagement with African Institutions 167
   2. Diplomatic Footprint Expansion for Granular Presence 170

III. The Implementation Mechanism: Private Sector Led Development 171
   1. Prioritizing the Private Sector as the Economic Engine 172
   2. Leveraging the Diaspora as Economic Bridge 174

IV. Thematic Focus: Capacity Building Over Capital Intensive Infrastructure 175
   1. Focus on Skills, Health, and Digital Capacity 176
   2. The Climate-Conscious Development Strategy 177
Summary 179

Chapter 5: Policy Impact, Regional Responses, and Competitive Dynamics 185

I. Impact on Indian National Interests and Global Status 186
   1. Securing Strategic Economic and Resource Needs 187
   2. Enhancing India’s Geopolitical Leverage 188
   3. Strengthening Maritime Security and Regional Presence 189

II. African Agency and Responses to Indian Engagement 192
   1. The African Strategy of Diversification and Balance 193
   2. Preference for India’s Complementary Development Model 193
   3. Challenges and Implementation Gaps 194

III. The Dynamics of Sino-Indian Competition and Contestation 198
   1. Competition in Key Strategic Sectors 199
   2. India’s Implicit Strategy of Counter-Narrative 204
   3. The Ideological and Political Contestation 207
Summary 214

Chapter 6: India and China in the Global South: A Framework for Constructive Cooperation 219

I.The Geopolitical Significance of the Global South’s Collective Ascent 220
   1. Tectonic Shifts and the Demand for Multipolarity 221
   2. India’s Role as a Bridge and Global Agenda-Setter 223
   3. The Necessity of Intra-South Coherence 226

II. The Institutional Basis for Global South Leadership 227
   1. The Legacy of Non-Alignment and Bandung 230
   2. Enduring Principles of Sovereignty and Equality 230
   3. Institutional Platforms for Modern Coordination 233

III. Reframing Sino-Indian Interaction: Shared Interests in Africa 238
   1. Mutual Need for Stable Geopolitical Environment 239
   2. Complementarity of Development Models 240
   3. Shared Defense of South-South Principles 242

IV. A Framework for Constructive Cooperation 244
   1. Confidence Building and Policy Dialogue 245
   2. Promoting Trilateral Development Projects 245
   3. Joint Advocacy for Global Governance Reform 250
Summary 258

Conclusion and Contribution 269

I. Recapitulation: The Redefinition of India-Africa Relations 269
   1. From Sentiment to Strategy: The Modi Doctrine 271
   2. The Success of the “Indian Way”: Economic and Diplomatic Gains 271

II. Future Trajectories and Emerging Challenges 277
   1. Technology and Resilience: The Next Policy Frontier 277
   2. Navigating Internal and External Constraints 279
   3. The Mandate for a Balanced Partnership 284

III. Strategic Imperatives for Sino-Indian Cooperation 286
   1. Overcoming the Zero-Sum Mindset: Complementarity of Models 287
   2. Building Trust and De-risking Competition 288
   3. Consolidating the Global South Agenda 289

IV. Implications of India-Africa Cooperation for China 293

Bibliography 299
Afterword 307