Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday highlighted the historic India-Africa partnership, saying it was rooted in shared solidarity and a common pursuit of fairness, representation and the freedom to shape their own future. He also outlined key areas of cooperation, including trade, investment, development projects, technology and health security.
Speaking at the Adwa Memorial Museum during his visit to Ethiopia, Jaishankar said India and Africa shared a conviction in self-reliance and a development vision that prioritised industrialisation. He said this should not be undermined by flooding markets with cheap goods or by restricting market access.
advertisement
Jaishankar, who arrived in Ethiopia on Thursday from Cote d’Ivoire on the final leg of his three-nation tour of African countries that also included Ghana, highlighted strong trade and investment ties between India and African countries. He said these links covered sectors such as manufacturing, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, financial services and information technology.
He said India’s development partnership with African countries was guided by the priorities of partner nations and added that India has “supported more than 220 projects” in areas such as “power generation, electricity transmission, water, agriculture, railways, healthcare, manufacturing and public infrastructure”. He also said that more than 70,000 African students and professionals had received support from India over the past decade through capacity-building initiatives.
On technology, Jaishankar pointed to the growing role of digital cooperation and said, “The transformative impact of digital governance, as well as growing India Stack cooperation with Africa. Space, drones, and AI are new frontiers of this cooperation.” He also underlined India’s efforts to strengthen Africa’s health security through vaccine support, pharmaceutical investments and the gifting of Bhabhatron cancer treatment machines.
In a separate post on X, Jaishankar said India and Ethiopia shared the vision of ‘AI for All’ and its potential to advance development and prosperity. He also visited the Ethiopia Science Museum and described it as a symbol of the country’s efforts to build a technology-driven, knowledge-based economy, saying science and innovation cooperation would play a greater role in the India-Ethiopia strategic partnership.
Jaishankar’s remarks in Ethiopia summed up India’s focus on deeper engagement with Africa through industrial growth, development partnerships, skills support, technology and health cooperation.
With PTI Inputs
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
