EAM Jaishankar Discusses Africa’s Expanding Global Role And New Avenues For India-Africa Cooperation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed Heads of Mission from African nations on Saturday for discussions on strengthening India-Africa relations, Africa’s expanding role in a multipolar global order and fresh opportunities for cooperation focused on people’s needs.

Sharing details on X, Jaishankar highlighted the partnership’s foundations in common historical experiences, shared ambitions and solidarity among countries of the Global South.

Delighted to host Heads of Mission from Africa this afternoon.

The India-Africa partnership is one of shared histories, common aspirations and Deep South-South solidarity.

We discussed its different aspects, the rise of Africa in a multipolar world and new possibilities for our people – centric cooperation.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 24, 2026

The meeting explored different areas of engagement and considered ways to develop cooperation that delivers meaningful benefits to people in India and Africa.

Earlier this month, Jaishankar led a conference of India’s Heads of Mission in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He underlined the close connections between the two sides, built on South-South solidarity, strategic autonomy, multipolarity and common development priorities.

Participants examined strategies to strengthen collaboration in commerce, investment, connectivity, development initiatives and capacity building.

Building Partnerships Without Dependencies

During a separate address in Addis Ababa, Jaishankar presented his vision for the next phase of India-Africa engagement. He argued that future partnerships should strengthen local capabilities instead of fostering dependence.

He noted that historical ties had established mutual trust, but both sides needed to adapt their relationship to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The minister advocated development cooperation rooted in equality, mutual respect, shared expertise and collective prosperity.

He also maintained that partnerships should not impose conditions or adopt a condescending approach.

Jaishankar called for changes to international institutions to make global governance more representative. He pointed to India’s efforts during its 2023 G20 Presidency to secure permanent membership for the African Union.

He argued that the same principle should inform reform of the United Nations Security Council, ensuring Africa receives fair representation in international decision-making.

The engagement underscores India’s efforts to deepen its partnership with African countries through political dialogue, economic collaboration and development-focused initiatives.

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