Bandung conference remains a crucial gateway
The Asian African Conference Commemoration is possibly the biggest diplomatic platform for global South-South cooperation, and it is only in the fitness of things that India made its presence felt at the two-day conference held in Bandung, Indonesia. That the Indian delegation was led by Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj shows the importance that New Delhi accords to this summit. The last time such a high-level delegation went from Delhi was in 2005 when the Bandung celebrated its 50th anniversary. Notably, Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the founding members of the Bandung conference which, eventually, paved the way for the non-alignment movement. Though NAM may have lost its relevance with the end of the Cold War, it is heartening to see that the Bandung conference has successfully refurbished itself.
As an emerging power, it is India's responsibility to engage with the rest of the developing world, especially if it wishes to influence global policymaking processes. India has often protested against the current world order for being discriminatory and called for a more equitable international system. In this context, it is conferences such as the Asian African summit that give New Delhi the opportunity to work with its partners in the developing world, so that they can be the change they want to see. This is especially true for India's relations with its African friends and supporters, who are usually not a policy priority. South Asia, by virtue of being India's immediate neighbourhood, and South-East Asia, as India's extended neighbourhood, still get some attention, but Africa remains a blindspot. Yes, the situation has improved in recent years — for example, the Africa-India Forum Summit has grown since its inception in 2008 — but a lot more needs to be done if India wants to make the most of the emerging Africa Opportunity.
Home to several fast-growing populous economies such as Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, Africa is a large and lucrative market for Indian goods. It can only be expected to become a more attractive trade destination, if India's manufacturing sector grows as much as it is expected to under the Make in India programme. Trade between India and Africa has increased by leaps and bounds; from a measly five billion dollars a decade ago, it is expected to cross the $100 billion mark this year. Impressive as this may be, it is necessary to compare India's trade figures ($70 billion in 2013) with that of China ($200 billion in 2013) and the US ($90 billion in 2013) to understand the enormity of the challenge that lies ahead.
This difference is also seen in the race for natural resources (such as crude oil, gold and precious stones, and cotton), wherein, again, China is far ahead of the rest. Of late, however, African leaders are looking to diversify their foreign partnerships, and India must use this opportunity to make up for lost time. The Chinese challenge is even stronger in Asia, particularly South-East Asia, but here too Beijing's aggressiveness has meant that many regional powers are now looking engage more closely with India. In both cases, India must leverage its civilisational linkages to amplify its soft power. Ultimately, though, it will be economic prowess that will define the equation.