Editor's Note:

The recently concluded second India-Africa Forum Summit saw the Indian government take significant steps toward building ties with Africa. As China has also been strengthening its ties with Africa and investing in Africa for many years, some media pay special attention to potential competition between the two emerging Asian powers. Will India see China as a rival? How should we understand India's African policy and the roles of India and China in Africa? Global Times (GT) reporter Yu Jincui talked to Jagannath P. Panda (Panda), research fellow of the New Delhi- based Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, and Liu Zongyi (Liu), research fellow of Institute for World Economy Studies & Center for South Asia Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, on these issues.

GT: What has driven India to target Africa?

Panda: Today Africa is emerging as the most important continent in India's strategic circles. Though India has neglected the African continent for many years, a "new and renewed policy" can be seen on India's part, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visiting the continent recently.

It is essential for India, one of the leading global economies, to have a close relationship with the resource-rich continent. To sustain its economy, an interest in Africa's coal, uranium, oil and infrastructure building are natural policy options for New Delhi.

Liu: Although separated by the Indian Ocean, India and Africa are geographically close and the two had close trade and cultural ties historically.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, India has been endeavoring to promote Indian-African relationships. It is important for India to gain support from African countries for its proposed membership of the UN Security Council. More importantly, India's increasingly close relations with Africa are driven by India's demand for energy resource, raw materials and trade.

GT: How do you view the influence of the China factor in India's African diplomacy?

Liu: Traditionally, India, as one of the leaders of the Third World and the non-aligned movement, shared closer ties with Africa than China did. But since the beginning of the 1990s, Africa has moved closer to China. As China and Africa intensely cooperate in economy and trade, more merchant ships sail through the Indian Ocean, which is considered by Indians to be "their ocean." China needs to cruise near the Indian Ocean to protect its merchant ships while India has security concerns about the Chinese navy. We can't deny the competition and conflicts that may arouse from both China and India strengthening ties with Africa, but it's not a zero-sum game.

In providing assistance to others, China and India are both new donators, and in importing oils, the two are newcomers compared to the Western countries. Western countries have already divided the oil markets of Africa. Europe takes 36 percent of African oil, and the US 33 percent. China and India's problem is not competing with each other, but how to compete with these Western countries. 

Panda: I don't think India faces any obstacles from third powers like China in engaging with Africa. China has been strengthening all aspects of its engagement with the African continent through exchange of visits, trade and investment and military and strategic engagements. Just like India, the Chinese are also looking to get access to African resources, investment possibilities and new market engagements in the region.

It seems that Africa has become a potential arena for power struggle between China and India. But one must understand this in a broader context. In the 21st century, heavily-populated societies like India and China have to search for resources. Notably, the Indian engagement with Africa has been a low-key affair till recently.

Given the cultural and social differences that exist between the Africans and the Chinese, India must realize its potential advantages in the region. New Delhi must use the momentum to build its relationship with Africa in ways that will be optimal benefits to both sides, rather than reducing it to the context of competition with a third power like China.

GT: China has $127 billion invested in Africa compared with India's $25 billion. What investment strategies are the two pursuing, and why?

Panda: China is a big investor all over the globe while India is still trying to learn how to invest and use the remote areas in its favour. But India is looking to reach the African public and society, while the Chinese are taking an economic approach.

There is a stark difference between the two Asian giants' methods in Africa.

India, through stable and democratic means, has done works in many sectors in the last couple of decades, which have been highly appreciated in sub-Saharan Africa, including providing pharmaceuticals and building infrastructure.

Liu: Admittedly, both India's and China's investment in Africa bring great development opportunities to African countries. But as most of the investments by China are carried out by State-owned enterprises while India's are done by the private sector, some attack China as exploitative.

This is unfair, and neglects the benefits and opportunities Chinese investments have brought. Chinese State-owned enterprises have the advantage in providing substantial investments while India's private enterprises act more flexibly in Africa. As more and more Chinese private enterprises begin to invest in Africa, we could learn from India's firms. Indian businesses cooperate in Africa but Chinese private firms are competing with each other fiercely.

In terms of soft power, India has more advantages than China. There are many India immigrants in Africa and Indian culture and enterprises have more affinity for local people in Africa. Take Bollywood movies, which are greatly popular with African people.

As the biggest democratic developing country, India increasingly highlights its democratic ties with African countries and the demonstratable effect of India's democratic model in Africa. African countries are willing to learn from China and India for further development. China respects their development and holds that every country should find its own development model.

GT: Will the two countries compete in Africa in the future?

Panda: There are enough scope for both India and China to rise and exploit the opportunities the globalized world offer to them.

However, control over resources is prime requirement of populist societies. So, there are bound to be differences and competitions between China and India, particularly in Africa as it is known for its resources.

But one has to see these developments in broader global contexts. China and India have started accommodating each other's global interests by cooperating at the global level.

One specific example in this context is the rise of BRICS, where Africa is represented by South Africa. The arrival of BRICS indicates the emergence of another world order, but its future depends heavily upon how China and India approach toward each other.

It is obvious that 21st century global politics will be shaped by the rise of China and India. While most of Asia's future politics and governance are shaped by them, their fundamental bilateral and global differences and their fragmented relationship with likeminded nations limits their global prominence.

Differences stem from the fact that each of them pursues its own individual approach in its bilateral and global dealings. The policymakers from both countries must sit together and adopt a common approach for multilateral cooperation and engagement.

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