Jaishankar emphasises shared goals and self-reliance in India-Africa ties
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Ethiopia on October 8 from Côte d'Ivoire, completing the final leg of his three-nation tour of African countries, which also included Ghana. On Friday, October 9, addressing a gathering at the Adwa Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa, Jaishankar highlighted the historic India-Africa partnership, rooted in shared solidarity and a common pursuit of fairness, representation, and the freedom to shape their own future.
Jaishankar outlined key areas of cooperation between India and Africa, emphasizing that the development visions of both sides prioritize industrialisation, which should not be undermined by flooding markets with cheap goods or restricting market access. He highlighted robust trade and investment ties across sectors including manufacturing, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, financial services and information technology. Self-reliance emerged as a shared conviction providing a strong foundation for the enduring partnership between the two sides.
India's development partnership with African countries is guided by the priorities of partner nations, with India supporting more than 220 projects in areas such as power generation, electricity transmission, water, agriculture, railways, healthcare, manufacturing and public infrastructure. Jaishankar also emphasized India's capacity-building initiatives, noting that more than 70,000 African students and professionals had received support from India over the past decade.
