The recent India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi is an effort of putting threads of friendship to both the countries with the plan of action focuses on furthering cooperation in areas like environment, health, education, energy and mining. Other issues also addresses broader areas of cooperation and common views on regional and international issues, including fight against terrorism, climate change and WTO negotiations.

The decision to strengthen relations between India and Africa is not a new phenomenon. We have a common colonial past and in the post-colonial period we have worked together. India did not want to impose any pattern on Africa and it was for Africa to choose its own pattern of development.

However, India would be privileged to be a partner in that process, headed. India’s decision to expand unilateral duty free and preferential market access for exports from all the 50 Least Developed Countries, 34 of which are in Africa, and its offer of lines of credit amounting to $5.4 billion are steps in this direction in making the bond stronger. The enhancement of India’s budget, for technical assistance and training programmes and, greater opportunities for African students to pursue studies in India reflect the priority India attach to human resource development and capacity building. India also offered its assistance in ushering in a Green Revolution in Africa through holistic capacity building in agricultural production, storage and transportation.