The India-Africa Defence Dialogue.

The India-Africa Defence Dialogue, held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022 in Gujarat; paves the way for strengthening India-Africa defence relations.

In India-Africa Defence Dialogue, Gandhinagar Declaration was adopted to enhance training and military exercises cooperation.

About
- The second India-Africa Defence Dialogue was held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Theme:
- “Adopting strategies for synergising and strengthening defence and security cooperation”.
Gandhinagar Declaration:
- Gandhinagar Declaration was adopted to enhance cooperation in training and military exercises.
Areas of cooperation:
- The defence minister said India and African countries could explore new areas such as
  - Capacity building,
  - Training cyber security,
  - Maritime security and
  - Counter-terrorism.

About
- DefExpo is a flagship biennial event of the Ministry of Defence, showcasing the land, naval, air as well as homeland security systems.
12th edition:
- 12th edition of DefExpo was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in 2022.
- The 11th edition of DefExpo was held in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) in 2020.
Aims and objectives:
- To achieve self-reliance in defence and increase exports.
- To make India a major destination for land, naval, air and homeland security systems and defence engineering.
- To build upon the vision to achieve ‘Atma Nirbharta’ in defence and reach USD five billion defence exports target by 2024.
- It will bring all the latest technologies under one roof and provide a myriad of opportunities to the stakeholders in the aerospace & defence industry.

Security:
- Africa is critical to India’s security, especially the Horn of Africa region, because of its proximity with India.
- The threat of radicalism, piracy, and organised crime emerges from this region.
UNSC support:
- Support of African countries is essential for India’s aim of gaining a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Battling Chinese influence:
- China has gained prominence in Africa through bilateral relations and investment.
Open and free Oceans:
- India aims to enhance cooperation with African countries to keep the oceans open and free for the benefit of all nations.
Energy diversification:
- India is seeking diversification of its oil supplies away from the Middle East, and Africa can play an essential role in India’s energy matrix.
Policy congruence:
- Complemented by India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and SAGARMALA (port development) initiatives, the AAGC (Asia Africa Growth Corridor), with Africa being an equal partner, can potentially be a game-changer in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).

Military training:
- Capacity building and training of African military officers in Indian institutes have long remained a cornerstone of defence ties.
AFINDEX-19:
- Africa-India conducted Field Training Exercise-2019, called AFINDEX-19.
Peacekeeping:
- Approximately 6,000 Indian soldiers are deployed in UN peacekeeping missions in five conflict zones in Africa.
- India has been actively involved in the peace and stability of African countries through UN Peacekeeping operations. India is involved in the capacity building of African countries. Africa is also the largest beneficiary of India’s Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.
India and Africa Maritime strategy:
- Indian Navy’s 2015 Maritime Strategy document and the African Union’s 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS 2050) aim for a free and open Indian ocean.

Content Source: PIB