Economy

India’s PM modi: “the Whole of Africa,”

India will no longer stand idly by as China conquered in a record pace, with new markets in Africa. Therefore, Prime Minister modi has visited the continent now: four countries in five days. A Balance Sheet.

Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and most recently Kenya, across Africa travelled Narendra modi, has shaken many hands, military parades, watched, even drum is played. All because his country forces to better relations with the emerging economy on the continent.

India’s own economy and population are growing rapidly fast, so the giant state needs resources, trading partners and access to new markets. Africa is the name of the target, therefore, modes already invited last October, African heads of state to a
Economic summit in New Delhi.

India and Africa “at the beginning”

So far, Beijing has the highest economic influence on the continent. In the past year alone, trade between Africa and China amounted to $ 200 billion. India can’t compete with that. Not yet. Jakkie Cilliers of the South African Institute for security studies ISS in Pretoria, sees “great opportunities” for both sides. The Analyst has been working for years with the future of Africa, assesses risks and Trends on the continent. “Now, since the Indian economy to pick up, is going to explode, the demand for energy, raw materials and commodities from Africa,” says Cilliers. Modi’s current visit is only the beginning of a long-term economic cooperation.

Material for Satire In this Cartoon Uhuru Kenyatta says Narendra modi: “Kenya invites you to build hospitals to cure the cancer called corruption.”

In addition, trade partnerships with India for the Africans “easier” than, for example, with China, Cilliers, “because of the geographical proximity, but also because they share a colonial history”. India was a British colony just like South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. In these countries English is widely spoken, and shops should therefore be made easier.

But what business modes aiming for? Here is a look at each of the stations of his trip to Africa:

Mozambique

For India, the East-African country is a relatively new Terrain. The last visit of an Indian statesman in the former Portuguese colony is 34 years. Modes, announced after his visit, now he wanted to cooperate with Mozambique in the areas of agriculture, maritime security, defense and health together.

South Africa

India is South Africa’s sixth largest trading partner. In the past ten years, the trade between the two countries had increased by 300 percent, said modes in Pretoria. The good relations he wants to continue to intensify. With South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma signed several agreements for the areas of information technology, mining, pharmaceutical industry, and defense. It was particularly important modes to meet the Indian Diaspora In South Africa, particularly in the Northern Federal seed Kwa-Zulu-Natal, there are about 1.3 million people with Indian roots. Modes, welcomed hundreds of them in the city hall of Durban, capital of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.

Tanzania’s President Magufuli has animated modes for drums

Tanzania

Also, many Tanzanians have Indian roots. President John Magufuli received modes, at his residence, with a traditional drum-roll. Both men were hardworking. Then it went to Business. India has said Tanzania is approximately 92 million US dollars for water supply on the island of Zanzibar. In addition, both want to work together to ensure more security in the Indian ocean against pirates.

Kenya

India is Kenya’s largest trading partner and second largest foreign Investor. However, you can do more, said modi after his Meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Both wanted each other to invest more, it said. In Kenya’s largest stadium modes speech in front of tens of thousands of cheering Indians.

More than Economics and trade

Modi’s trip to Africa however, had not only economic reasons. “India claimed a very large safety zone for themselves, in principle, the whole of the Indian ocean”, says Joachim Betz, a researcher at the GIGA Institute in Hamburg, also about India. As it to apply to East Africa. “It’s about the safety of the sea routes and the resources that you want from the pirates safely across the ocean transport.” These interests have particularly played at the Visit in Mozambique and Tanzania a role.

Therefore, the visit was rather a political-strategic, Betz. The Indian government’s security Council is hoping that the Africans eventually also support in its campaign for a permanent seat in the UN. And alone, economically considered, are already countries, such as Angola and Nigeria are important partners, the researchers. “India is trying its influence in Africa to expand – even to non-English-speaking countries. Modes now has the whole of Africa,” says Betz.