India–Africa Defence Dialogue to be held alongside the DefExpo

September 13, 2021

India has proposed to institutionalise “India Africa Defence Dialogue” during the successive DefExpos, to be held once in two years duration.

Highlights

  • Institutionalisation of the India Africa Defence Dialogue will help in building on existing partnerships between African countries and India.
  • It will also help in exploring new areas of convergence for mutual engagements in areas such as training, capacity building, cyber security, counter terrorism and maritime security.
  • India has also decided that Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses will be the knowledge partner of India Africa Defence Dialogue. The institute will assist in providing necessary support to the defence cooperation between both the countries.
  • Further, defence minister Rajnath Singh will host “Defence Ministers of African Nations” in the next edition of the India – Africa Defence Dialogue alongside the DefExpo.
  • Next DefExpo is scheduled to be held in March 2022 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Theme of the dialogue

India Africa Defence Dialogue will be held under the theme: ‘India – Africa: Adopting Strategy for Synergizing and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’.

Background

The first-ever India Africa Defence Ministers Conclave (IADMC) was held in on February 6, 2020 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in conjunction with the DefExpo. It was co-organised by Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs. This conclave was the first in series of Pan Africa events at Ministerial level in the run-up to the India Africa Forum Summit IV. During the conclave, a joint Declaration called as ‘Lucknow Declaration’ was adopted as an outcome document of the Conclave.

India-Africa Relations

India and Africa have a close and historical relationship. The foundation of the defence relations between both the countries are based on the two guiding principles called ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

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