By IANS,
New Delhi : Against the backdrop of China’s surging trade with Africa, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor Monday outlined the unique Indian model of engagement with the continent that revolves around capacity building, training and private sector investments.
“The model of our cooperation with Africa is clearly one seeking mutual benefit through a consultative process,” Tharoor said at the sixth India-Africa business conclave.
“We do not wish to go and demand certain rights or projects or impose our ideas in Africa. But we do want to contribute to the achievement of Africa’s development objectives as they have been set by our African partners,” Tharoor said.
The conclave is expected to discuss business projects worth at least $10 billion and prepare a roadmap for the second India-Africa Forum Summit next year.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna inaugurated the two-day conclave Monday morning.
Nearly 400 African political and business leaders, including several ministers, have flown in from 34 African countries to attend the summit.
Although Tharoor did not name China, it was an oblique reference to the Chinese practice of doing business with Africa that stands out in contrast to the agenda-free approach of India.
India’s bilateral trade with Africa is currently around $39 billion compared to China-Africa trade of $109 billion, but New Delhi has taken care to distinguish its singular approach towards the continent that revolves around the empowerment of the continent as opposed to mere profit-seeking.