New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): Union Commerce and Industry minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday called for strengthening and expanding the India-Africa ties and said that India can offer emerging technologies to expand trade, commerce investment and opportunities for youth of Africa.
Goyal was speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry-Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership here on Tuesday.
“India-Africa are natural partners. When we work together we can move mountains…India can offer emerging technologies that we are working on in India which can easily help expand trade, commerce, investment and opportunities for youth of Africa,” the minister said.
Goyal further said that there are immense possibilities between India and Africa thus the two countries need to further expand the relationship and partnership.
He said that the Conclave highlighted how India can play a pivotal role in economic development of several Africal countries in industry based skill developments, employement, financial inclusion, basic needs of people across the African continent, infrastructure creation and providing connectivity through greater and deeper penetration of telecom networks.
“We had a strong partnership during COVID-19 pandemic, particulary, supporting many countries through our vaccine Maitry program and other health related engagements. This underslines the solidarity between India and Africa. We need to further expand this partnership,” Goyal said.
“After the pandemic both countries have shown signs of resilience, recovery and renewal,” he added.
He said that several other countries have expressed desire to work with India and look forward to enhance trade partnership and bilateral engagements.
“We concluded a CEPA with UAE, an ECTA with Australia. We are at advanced stage of discussion with UK and are looking for an enhanced partnership with Canada, EU, Israel and other nations. I want to invite African brothers/sisters to join us in this partnership,” Goyal said.
“It’s time we also looked at further deepening and strengthening the trade partnership and possibly looked at giving greater trading access to both the African continent and to India so that we can expand this trade in a much faster and greater way,” the minister added.
Earlier in the day, the Union minister underlined that the India-Africa partnership will play an important role over the next 25 years to fulfill the aspirations of India and Africa.
“India and Africa can lead global growth. We look at Africa as partners in progress,” Goyal said.
Both can work together to bring cost-effective solutions in several areas like drinking water, logistics, healthcare, education, fintech, and solar power, among others, the minister said.
The Union Minister mentioned four areas that can help fulfill the aspirations of both India and Africa. These comprise solar power to bring clean energy, energy security, jobs to Africa, defence trade, physical and digital infrastructure, and co-creating a startup ecosystem.
On India becoming the world’s third largest startup ecosystem, Goyal said that India can help co-create similar systems in various African nations and grow together.
The CII-Exim Bank event was launched in the year 2005 with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
In the last sixteen editions, the Conclave has played a pivotal role in encouraging Indian companies to establish and grow their footprints in Africa. (ANI)
