Concept Note

India’s relations with African nations have progressed at a fast pace in the last decade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accorded Africa high priority in recent years. India entered into a structured engagement with African countries with the launch of the first Indian Africa Forum Summit in 2008 in New Delhi. This was followed by the Second India Africa Forum Summit in Addis Ababa in 2011. The third India-Africa Forum summit, held in New Delhi in October 2015, renewed the focus of India on strengthening and enhancing its partnership with countries in the African continent. It brought forth two important documents, the Delhi Declaration and the India-Africa Framework for Strategic Cooperation. Both documents offer a direction for Indo-African relations in the coming years. They provide a framework for the establishment of a long-term and stable partnership of equality and mutual benefit between India and Africa. They also serve as a blueprint for India-Africa co-operation in political, economic, social, science and technology, cultural, security and other fields.

The concept of security has been broadened in the post-Cold War years. Traditional notions of state – centred military security have been complemented by non-military and non-traditional security concerns with compounded ramifications in an increasingly globalised and interdependent world. The African Union’s African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) is based on this expanded concept of security that takes into account the identification of, and tackling of, threats to the existence, development and sustenance of political, economic, military, human and social, gender and environmental systems at state, regional and continental levels. Over the years, India has played an important role in conflict resolution on the African continent through its active participation in the United Nations peacekeeping operations in African countries. It has also helped in enhancing skills of thousands of officers from a number of African countries through imparting training in its military academies. The Indian navy has been deployed in the Indian Ocean region to avert the threats of tsunami, natural disasters and piracy. India shares concerns with African countries to counter insecurities arising from climate change, cyber warfare, lack of energy, food and water sources.

In order to suggest ways of enhancing the security relationship,  the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses is  organizing  the fourth India-Africa Strategic Dialogue on the theme, “India and Africa: Deepening the Security Engagement” on 27-28 March 2018 at IDSA campus,  New Delhi.  The objective of the India-Africa Strategic Dialogue is to build on existing partnerships between African countries and India, and to explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagement.

The upcoming dialogue will cover following themes:

Inaugural Session
Session I: Perspectives on Evolving India- Africa Security Engagement
Session II: Perspectives on Cooperation on Maritime Security
Session III: Perspectives on Cooperation in Energy and Food Security
Session IV: Perspectives on Cooperation for Cyber Security
Session V: Perspectives on Cooperation in Skills and Capacity Building
Concluding Session

Session I: Perspectives on Evolving India- Africa Security Engagement

In the 21st century India is making an effort to redefine its position and role both in the regional and global context. This is, to some extent, shaped by its growing economic status and also its role as the leader of the South. Similarly, much of Africa has experienced relatively rapid economic growth. It has also taken a leadership role in finding “African solutions” for the diverse and numerous security concerns faced by the region. In this period of flux there is an imperative to enhance the security engagement between India and African countries. This session will look into the existing security engagement between India and African countries. It will discuss following issues:

• What is the scope of existing security cooperation between India and African countries in various fields including peacekeeping and counter terrorism?
• What are the contours of African countries’ cooperation with other external partners?
• What are the possibilities of future security engagement between India and African countries?

Session II: Perspectives on Cooperation on Maritime Security

It is well known that oceans and seas are a vast reservoir of resources. India and Africa are part of the Indo- Pacific continuum.  Over the past decade there has been an increase in attention in countries across Africa towards blue economy. The African Union’s Integrated Maritime Strategy is a pointer towards importance given to maritime resources development and security on the continent. As a country with vast coast line and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and increasing dependence on maritime trade, maritime security is of vital importance for India. This session will focus on Maritime cooperation between India and African countries and will discuss following issues:

• What are the main maritime challenges faced by India and African countries and what is their response?
• What has been the nature of India’s maritime cooperation with key partners in Africa at the bilateral and regional level?
• What more can be done?

Session III: Perspectives on Cooperation in Energy and Food Security

The food, water and energy nexus is essential for sustainable development. Demand for all three is increasing in India and African countries. Despite significant fossil fuel resources, access to energy is lower in Sub Saharan Africa as compared to any other region. In recent years, there is a growing focus on access to low carbon, clean energy across the world.  With abundant solar, wind and water resources, Africa has a promising potential in the field of renewable energy. As an energy deficit country, India too is interested in furthering the development of renewable energy resources. It is also one of the world’s largest agricultural producers. To a large extent much of India’s agricultural success has been a result of its focus on finding innovative solutions to farming challenges such as low cost appliances, seeds and water management techniques. India and African countries have similar conditions for agricultural development that provide impetus for collaboration. This session will examine cooperation between India and African countries in the field of energy and food security and will discuss the following issues:

• What are the existing energy related challenges in Africa and India? What initiatives have been launched to mitigate them?
• What are the main concerns with regard to food security in Africa and India? What are the initiatives to address them?
• What is the existing cooperation between India and African countries in the field of renewable energy?
• How can the African countries and India work together to address their respective food security concerns?

Session IV: Perspectives on Cooperation for Cyber Security

Use of new technologies continues to rise in Africa with exponential growth in mobile smart device ownership and increasing use of social media.  With growing prosperity and digitization in Africa, there is a rise in risks and vulnerabilities that could undermine progress. In order for Africa to attain benefits from the development of a digitized socio-economic space, policymakers will need to implement effective policies to stem the rising tide of cyber threats. Similarly, India is concerned about rising cyber threats. There is a need to further improve cyber security readiness and raise awareness around the importance of keeping Information Technology (IT) systems secure, and develop new security practices and procedures. India is eager to partner with African countries to deal with cyber threats and forge cyber security technology cooperation. To explore the possibility of building greater synergies between India and African countries in the field of cyber security, this session will discuss:

• What is the nature of cyber security threats in Africa and what is the nature of the response?
•  What is the nature of cyber security threats in India and what is the nature of the response?
• What are the possible areas of cooperation between India and Africa in cyberspace?

Session V: Perspectives on Cooperation in Skills and Capacity Building

Amongst the African countries, there is a growing requirement for skill development. The needs of skills enhancement are divergent across the continent. Africa’s roadmap to development, “Agenda 2063” emphasises undertaking concerted action to address the challenges facing the development of technical skills amongst African youth. In India too, Prime Minister Modi has launched several initiatives for enhancing skills of the growing work force in the country.  In the past, India has been involved in training of African youth in traditional and non- traditional security fields under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. This session will discuss following issues:

• What are the challenges to skills enhancement in traditional and non- traditional security sectors in India?
•  What are the challenges to skills enhancement in traditional and non- traditional security sectors in Africa?
• What are the areas in which India- Africa cooperation in skills development and capacity building can be buttressed?

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Programme

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 (Day 1)

0900h – 0930h                     Registration

0930h-1015h                         Inaugural Session

• Welcome Remarks: Maj. Gen. Alok Deb, SM, VSM, (Retd) DDG, IDSA
• Remarks: Ambassador Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam,  Dean of African Diplomatic Corps in India, Eritrea
• Key Note Address: Mr. T. S. Tirumurti, Secretary (ER), MEA, India
• Vote of Thanks: Ms. Ruchita Beri, Senior Research Associate, IDSA, India

1015h-1045h                       High Tea & Group Photograph

    

1045h-1230h: Session 1- Perspectives on Evolving Indi a- Africa Security Engagement

Chair: Prof. Rajen Harshe

• Mr. Shambhu S Kumaran, JS (PIC), Ministry of Defence, India
• Dr. Festus Kofi Aubyn, Research Fellow,  Kofi Anan International Peacekeeping Training Centre,  Ghana
• Ms. Ruchita Beri, Senior Research Associate,  IDSA, India

 

• Mr. Priyal Singh, Researcher,  ISS, South Africa (tbc)

1230h-1345h                         Lunch

                    

1345h-1515h: Session 2- Perspectives on Cooperation on Maritime Security

Chair: Amb. Yogendra Kumar

• Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan (Retd), Director, National Maritime Foundation, India
• Mr. Mowlid Aden, Director, Security and Risk Compliance,  Djibouti Ports & Free Zone Authority, Djibouti
• Ms. Harriet Njoki Mboce, Visiting Fellow, IDSA, Kenya
• Cmde. Abhay Kumar Singh (Retd)  Research Fellow, IDSA, India

1515h-1530h                         Tea

                   

1530h-1730h: Session 3- Perspectives on Cooperation in Energy and Food Security

Chair: Amb. Rajiv Bhatia

• Dr. Benard Oula Mouk , Director, Centre for Research Innovation and Technology, JOOUST, Kenya
• Dr. Nitya Nanda, Associate Director,

  Resource Efficiency and Governance, TERI, India

• Ms. Shebonti Ray Dadwal, Senior Fellow,  IDSA, India  

End of Day 1

Wednesday, March 28, 2018 (Day 2)

                     

1000h-1115h: Session 4- Perspectives on Cooperation for Cyber Security

Chair: Dr. Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Coordinator, India

• Prof. Essien D. Essien, University of Uyo, Nigeria
• Mrs. Rama Vedashree, CEO, Data Security Council of India, India 
• Dr. Cherian Samuel, Research Fellow, IDSA, India

1115h-1130h                       Tea
                    

1130h-1300h: Session 5- Perspectives on Cooperation in Skills and Capacity Building

Chair: Prof. Ajay Dubey, JNU

• Prof. Donald P. Chimanikire, University of Zimbabwe  
• Mr. Pranav Kumar, Head, International Policy,  Confederation of Indian Industry, India  
• Prof. Kenneth King, Visiting Fellow, IDSA, United Kingdom

1300h-1400h  Lunch
                   

1400h-1530h: Session 6 – Panel Discussion: India and Africa: Deepening the Security Engagement

Chair: Ambassador Shashank, Former Foreign Secretary, India
Speakers:

• Dr. Neena Malhotra, JS (E&SA), MEA, India  
• Prof. Sachin Chaturvedi, DG, RIS, India  
• Amb. Mrs. Florence I Weche, Kenya
• Amb. Hatem El Sayed Tageldin, Egypt

1530h-1545h                     Tea
End of Day 2
Event Report [PDF]
Event photographs
Text of Keynote Address by Secretary (ER) Shri T S Tirumurti
Day 2 Press Release: Sectoral Cooperation Key to the Success of South-South Cooperation
Day 1 Press Release: India’s Security Engagement with Africa a Vital Part of Foreign Policy: TS Tirumurti