By Nazia Jafri, IANS,
New Delhi : For some, India is a land of technology and culture. For others, it’s an emerging trade partner and for yet others, a great place for education. Nearly 500 delegates from African countries have gone back with warm feelings about India, extremely optimistic about the future of ties between their 53-nation continent and this emerging Asian giant.
The African delegates were here for the India-Africa Partnership Conclave last week.
Yaw Kankan, a private business investor from Ghana, said he was excited by Indian automobile technology and was willing to come back and do business with Indian firms.
“I am keen to work in collaboration with Indian automobile dealers so that even the African firms could produce some great vehicles,” he said.
But what he will remember most is the famous Indian hospitality. “I can never forget the warm gestures that I have received here,” he said.
The seventh edition of the conclave, held here March 27-29, was co-hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Exim Bank, in cooperation with the ministries of external affairs and commerce, to further strengthen trade between the two regions.
Over the years, India-African ties have grown stronger, with India making a significant mark in the second largest continent of the world.
Antonio Grispos, a businessman and banker from Mozambique, feels the ties can only grow deeper.
Grispos told IANS: “We share a bond of more than 400 years, a lot of Indians live in Mozambique for more than 400 years, so our ties are much deeper.
“Language is a big barrier for us to do business with China, while it is much easier to communicate in India. Distance is also a problem with China,” he said.
He feels Indian firms have great potential to set up units in Africa, and may overtake their Chinese counterparts in the coming years.
Indian involvement in the continent has increased rapidly with the entry of corporate heavyweights like the Tatas, Mahindras, Kirloskars, Ranbaxy, RITES, IRCON and others.
What impresses Grispos most is India’s simple, cheap and practical technology.
“We are not a very rich continent and what we mostly need is good quality and suitable prices,” he said.
Work apart, he also wants to come back again and visit the Taj Mahal, which he couldn’t do this time.
For C.J. Matabwa, a doctorate scholar and businessman from Malawi, India has a lot to contribute towards the agricultural sector of the continent.
“India is a progressing country with a growing agricultural industry. We look forward to contribution from India to the Malawian agricultural sector,” he said.
Malawi exports food products to many countries of the world.
Glyne Michelo, director of the Zambian Development Agency, said India had a lot to offer to Africa than just minerals and natural resources.
“China has been in long-term trade with us. Earlier, they used to do contract business but now they have moved to investments. And that’s what is required from India too. The more there will be investment, the more our business will improve,” he told IANS.
Helena Ngalandji, an investment executive from Namibia, was eager to tell her family and friends back home about her experience here.
“This conclave gave me the opportunity to visit the land that I have been hearing about so much,” she smiled.
She said she was fascinated by Indian food and was also looking forward to expanding business ties with India.
The three-day business conclave ended with notes on “Sustainable India investments in Africa” and “Lifestyle management”, along with loads of memories for guests from the continent.
(Nazia Jafri can be contaced at [email protected])