India PM Modi to visit SA as part of African tour

Modi arrived in Mozambique this morning in the first leg of his five-day tour.

“I envision better trade, commercial and cultural exchanges between India and Kenya”. Thus, when Modi continues with his party’s known policy of engaging with the diaspora when touring overseas, it becomes a significant instrument of foreign policy in South Africa. “India is doing a lot but it is not seen to be visible”, said Dr Nivedita Ray, a research fellow at the New Delhi-based Indian Council of World Affairs.

Indian companies with investments in Mozambique include Tata Steel, JSPL, JSW, Essar, Midwest Africa, Coal India Ltd and Sunflag Group in coal mining; Damodar Ferro in iron-ore mining; Essar in port development; and Pure Diets, Rajarambapu Group, HK Jalan Group and Asian Tea company in agriculture. The unsaid? To beat China at all of the above and effectively contain its rapidly widening “String of Pearls” strategy in the Indian Ocean.

But just how much do we know about the four of Africa’s 54 countries that Modi is touring, or their citizens about us?

China’s footprint in Africa is largely state related while India’s is private.

This is Modi’s first official visit to mainland Africa. India’s frequent engagements in United Nations peace-keeping operations across the continent too, have earned praise.

Modi has brought 30 captains of industry to South Africa to participate in a CEO forum, which will then be followed by a larger India-South Africa business forum organised by the Department of Trade and Industry. “Africa was the land which started shaping the identity of the Indian diaspora”, he said. “If they refuse, it is time for action”.

“Second leg of PM’s Africa tour begins in South Africa”.

Underlining that India and Mozambique “face similar challenges” as the developing countries, Modi told Nyusi, “We will be a trusted friend in your development”.

The Prime Minister will have meetings with President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli in Tanzania on July 10 to further enhance mutual cooperation and understanding on major issues of common interest. South Africa is home to 1.3 million people of Indian origin. “In fact, Mozambique has already been one of the gateways for Indian investments into Africa”, he said. It was a modest sum when compared to the volume of Chinese investment in Africa. India is forced to import more than two thirds of the oil and gas it consumes and more than a quarter of that energy comes from Africa. “So we are looking at consolidating the gains that we have made at the IAFS”, he added.

The Indian economy is also expected to grow more robustly than the Chinese economy in the medium and long term. Is the new HRD minister listening?