India’s engagement rests on African priorities as outlined by Africans themselves, the Ministry of Defence pointed out…reports Asian Lite News
Rajnath Singh will host the Defence Ministers of African Nations during the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) on October 18. It will be held on the sidelines of the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday.
The broad theme of the dialogue is ‘India-Africa: Adopting Strategy for Synergising and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’.
The IADD will explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagement, including in areas like capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter terrorism, the Ministry of Defence added.
The first-ever India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in February 2020, along with the DefExpo. A Joint Declaration, known as the ‘Lucknow Declaration’, was adopted at the end of the conclave as an outcome document.
IAAD was subsequently institutionalised to be held once every two years on the sidelines of DefExpo. The Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) is the knowledge partner for the India-Africa Defence Dialogue.
India and Africa share close and historical ties. India’s approach towards Africa is guided by the Kampala Principles enunciated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2018. India’s engagement rests on African priorities as outlined by Africans themselves, the Ministry of Defence pointed out.
Earlier in July, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said that India is committed towards enhancing capacity building and skill development among African youth.
“We are committed to enhancing capacity building and skill development among African youth. In this context, you would recall that we had announced 50,000 scholarships during IAFS-III in 2015, out of which more than 32,000 scholarship slots have already been utilised,” the minister said while addressing the 17th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership.
The Minister noted that it is a matter of pride for India that several high ranking leaders, ministers, officials from Africa have studied in Indian universities and other institutions. Apart from these, a number of students and officials from Africa have also been trained under the ITEC programme.
“To provide high quality virtual education and medical services to our partners, the e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti networks were launched in 2019 for tele-education and tele-medicine respectively,” Jaishankar said, adding that under these initiatives, youth from 19 African countries have enrolled for various degree and diploma courses.
“India has helped African countries to promote digital transformation through setting-up of IT Centres, Science and Technology Parks, and Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDC).”
“I think there is ample scope in the sphere of technology, and with our emphasis on trust and transparency, India and Africa make natural partners,” the minister asserted.
ALSO READ-Africa being marginalized on world stage, say finance chiefs
