Growing India-Africa military ties Etv Bharat 16 Jul 2025 Maj Gen Harsha Kakar
https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!opinion/analysis-growing-india-africa-military-ties-enn25071604695
Growing India-Africa military ties Etv Bharat 16 Jul 2025
PM Modi’s visit to Ghana was intended to enhance ties with African states. The visit strengthened India’s engagement with the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union. Ghana is one of India’s important trading partners in West Africa. It is also a nation with whom the Indian Navy conducts joint exercises and some of its armed forces members are trained in Indian military institutions. It has also displayed interest in India’s domestically manufactured military equipment.
PM Modi also visited Namibia on the same tour, while returning from the BRICS summit, a country where the Indian army and air force have a presence in the form of a training team and military advisors since 1996. India ensured the entry of the African Union into the G20 during its presidency in 2023.
India and China have been competing to be the voice of the Global South, which includes all African states. Many African nations have, in recent years, insisted on the withdrawal of traditional western forces, largely the US and France from their territory. The latest nations insisting on their withdrawal include Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Senegal, and Ivory Coast.
Russia and China have attempted to fill the gap. However, with India exerting itself, ongoing Russo-Ukraine war and the demise of the Wagner group, the region is open for competition. While India does not seek bases, it seeks to partner African nations to empower them to manage their own security. It is thus becoming a preferred partner.
While diplomacy and trade will always remain major focus points, what must not be lost sight of is the impact of Indian military soft power in Africa.
India has been at the forefront of peacekeeping operations in Africa, commencing from Congo in the early 1960’s, to Mozambique, Somalia, Rwanda, Angola, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia-Eritrea, Sudan, Ivory Coast and Liberia and a few more. Currently around 4500 uniformed personnel are deployed for peacekeeping missions in Africa including South Sudan, Abyei, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Western Sahara and Somalia. India’s reputation in peacekeeping has been unmatched and respect for it is high in the countries where it has operated.
China began sending troops for peacekeeping only in 2011. In Jul 2015, their peacekeepers in South Sudan refused to protect local aid workers who were being attacked and raped by rebels. Subsequently, when fired upon, Chinese peacekeepers vacated their two posts, leaving behind weapons, and fled. This has impacted their reputation and soft power across the continent. Interestingly, it was the Indian army’s 7th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment, which restored the situation.
India also provides training to about 450 African military personnel in its various military academies annually. It has functional training teams deployed in Namibia, Tanzania, Lesotho, Botswana and Uganda. India has also set up military institutes including the Harar Military Academy, Ethiopia, Nigerian Defence Academy, Command and Staff College, Nigeria and Command and Staff College, Tanzania.
India conducts joint military exercises with African nations. In 2019, the first Africa-India Field Training Exercise was held in which 17 African countries participated. In 2023, in the second edition, the participation increased to 25 countries. This increase in participation indicates growing recognition of India as an ally.
The Indian navy separately interacts with nations on Africa’s East Coast. It conducts its own series of exercises as also training. The India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise was held in Oct 2022. In April this year, India and Tanzania jointly hosted the Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement off the coast of Tanzania. It was attended by the Indian Naval chief, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi. Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa, alongside India and Tanzania participated.
There are also multiple dialogue forums on military matters between India and African nations. The India-Africa Defence Dialogue is an established forum, which held its first meeting in Lucknow alongside the Defence Expo. It was last held in 2022 at the Defence Expo in Gujarat. About 50 nations participated. In addition, many African defence ministers and service chiefs attended the Aero-India exhibition in Bengaluru this year.
There is a specific army initiative which is the India-Africa army chief’s conclave. The last meeting of the conclave was held in Pune in 2023, alongside the joint military exercise. It was themed ‘Africa-India Militaries for Regional Unity.’ The main objective of this conclave was to enhance synergies between the armed forces of India and Africa. A total of 31 nations participated
The Indian navy remains a net security provider in the Western Indian Ocean region, alongside Africa’s East Coast, as also is involved in provision of humanitarian aid during disasters. India is a signatory to the Djibouti Code of Conduct modified by the Jeddah Amendment in August 2020. Its aim is repression of piracy and armed robbery in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden thus securing maritime navigation.
A senior naval officer mentioned on India’s Operation Sankalp, which is aimed at ensuring security of the regional maritime domain. He stated, ‘With over 110 lives saved (including 45 Indian seafarers), 1.5 million tons of critical commodities escorted (such as fertilizers, crude oil and finished products), nearly 1,000 boarding operations undertaken, more than 3,000 kgs of narcotics seized, and over 450 merchant vessels assured of the Indian Navy’s presence, the ongoing maritime security operations have truly reflected our capability in playing a vital role as a strong and a responsible navy in the IOR.’
Several coastal nations in Africa, including Kenya, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Somalia, and Tanzania are also members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
Simultaneously, India faces the China challenge. The Chinese navy has also been operating in the Western Indian Ocean since 2018. It has a base in Djibouti and is seeking another in Mozambique. It launched a structured engagement with African militaries in 2018. 52 out of 54 African nations are members of the Chinese BRI. However, what it lacks is soft power which reduces its ability to influence.
India-Africa have traditionally close military ties, which others, including China, will find difficult to breach. These are being enhanced steadily with the posting of three additional defence attaches to African nations. Russia was the main defence supplier to Africa, followed by China and Europe. This is changing with India entering the competition.
Indian defence products, quality wise more reliable than China, better post-sale service, lower in cost than the west, backed by India’s military soft power and training in Indian military institutions are being offered to African nations with soft lines of credit through the state-owned Export-Import Bank. India can dominate the African defence market due to its cost-effective hardware, technological expertise and its rock-solid performance in operations including Op Sindoor.
Increased engagement with Africa has many benefits. These include caring for our large diaspora in the continent, rescue operations when the situation so demands and obtaining critical minerals, often blocked by China to impact Indian growth. The African defence market is another stimulant. Most African nations are either dictatorships or governments backed by the military. This opens doors for effective military diplomacy. Finally, India can and must keep the Chinese from dominating the continent.