India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III) 2025

Why it’s in the news?
• It marks 10 years since the last India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III) held in New Delhi in 2015.
• Highlights the progress India has made in diplomatic, economic, and educational engagement with Africa since then.
• Focuses on the future roadmap for India-Africa partnership, including trade, digital collaboration, and institutional revival.

Key Points:
1. Historical context & significance:
• 2015: India hosted IAFS-III with representatives from all 54 African countries.
• The summit symbolized a leap in India’s diplomacy under PM Narendra Modi.
2. India’s growing engagement with Africa:
• 17 new Indian missions established across Africa.
• Trade exceeds $100 billion; India among Africa’s top five investors with $75 billion cumulative investment.
• Shift from traditional sectors (ports, power) to future-facing sectors (green hydrogen, digital infrastructure, vaccines).
3. Security & maritime cooperation:
• April 2025: First Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) with 9 African navies.
• Signals a security partnership based on shared oceanic interests.
4. Financial and developmental support:
• $40 million credit line from India’s Exim Bank to ECOWAS Bank (EBID).
• India supports African-led development initiatives.

5 .Education & human connection
• IITE Madras Campus in Zanzibar as a flagship initiative.
• Projects like ITEC, ICCR, Pan-African e-Network are educating thousands of people in Africa.
• Close to 40,000 African students have studied in India in the last ten years.
• Cultural and sport exchanges (like African athletes coming to India) reinforce person-to-person contacts.
6. Trade & economic potential:
• Although India’s trade with Africa is growing, India still lags behind China.
• Moving up the value chain and co-invest in sectors such as digital, green energy, and electric mobility.
• Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opens-up new opportunities for India and Africa cooperation, using India’s already established digital tools like UPI.
7. Future roadmap:
• Connect finance to real benefits: Lines of credit should deliver outcomes.
• Build an India to Africa digital corridor, capitalizing on both India and Africa’s respective strengths.
• Revive institutional back-bone: Hold IAFS again to boost momentum.
8. Key message:
• India and Africa are moving from trade to co-development, exchanging confidence, ideas, and capacity together while shaping a shared future.