IAFS, which saw participation from all African countries including 41 heads of state and government, concluded on Thursday.
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In exchange, India hopes for a share of Africa’s vast natural resources to power its own growth.
Describing India as “a top destination for innovation, R&D and technology development”, leaders at the forum were of the view that “Indian innovations can be transferred to African entrepreneurs and set-up businesses around the transferred innovations through an institutional mechanism”.
“Today, 34 African countries enjoy duty free access to the Indian market”. He said there were certain charges against the two Indians as they served long prison terms and that New Delhi never questioned the judicial process. In addition to this, PM Modi pledged an assistance of $600 million to Africa that includes 50,000 scholarships for African students in India, development fund and Health fund.
Earlier, at one-to-one meetings with several African heads of state, the prime minister proposed expanded cooperation in oil/energy, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism and defence sectors between India and African nations. Sanjiv Kohli, an Indian External Affairs Ministry official, told The Associated Press that India has promised to help train soldiers in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency tactics.
The South African President Jacob Zuma, who is part of G-4 grouping, also strongly backed India’s candidature for the UNSC seat.
China’s trade with the continent reached $ 222 billion previous year, more than three times India’s $70 billion.
“No one has done less to contribute to global warming than India and Africa”.
Modi called on the assembled African leaders to join an alliance of solar-rich countries at next month’s Paris climate conference, where the global community will gather to try to hammer out a successor to the Kyoto climate protocol.
The meeting is being seen as an attempt by India to improve ties with Africa. “That is why India advocates reforms in global institutions”, Modi said.
“We will raise the level of our support for your vision of a prosperous, integrated and united Africa that is a major partner for the world”, he said.
Addressing the India-Africa Forum Summit here, Modi said the worldwide institutions can not be representative of the world if they do not give place to India and Africa.
Remembering the Egyptian Nobel Prize-winning writer Naguib Mahfouz, who said science brings people together with the light of its ideas, Modi extended “Technology will be a strong foundation of the India-Africa relationship”.
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“These are gifts highly appreciated by us”.
