India will continue to work with African nations to promote regional security, stability: Defence Minister

Source: The post is based on the article “India will continue to work with African nations to promote regional security, stability: Defence Minister” published in PIB on 29th March 2023

What is the News?

At the first edition of the India-Africa Army Chiefs’ Conclave, Defence Minister said that India will continue to work with African nations to promote regional security, foster stability and enhance defence capabilities.

This conclave was organized on the sidelines of the 2nd Africa-India Joint Exercise ‘AFINDEX’ in Pune, Maharashtra.

What are the key highlights from the Defence Minister’s address at the conclave?

African Struggle and Representation: Africa is the cradle of humanity and respective races and ethnicities. 

– India is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world with a youthful population and a fast-growing economy. 

– Civilizational ties including people-to-people contacts have laid the foundation for the free flow of ideas and practices since time immemorial. It gained significant momentum during our common struggle against imperialism. 

Human Resources of India and Africa: The people of India and Africa together represent one-third of humanity, a demographic dividend which must be used. India and Africa must seize this opportunity to turn this human resource into an engine of growth and development.

Digital Payment systems and innovations: India would like to share its growth experiences in these domains so that the African partners can benefit from Indian expertise. 

– One example is the financial inclusion of the entire country through digital technology through a unified payment interface, UPI.

India-Africa defence relation and Indian support: India has been at the forefront of providing training to the armed forces of the African nations and equating their military personnel with the necessary skills and competencies to face the security challenges of the 21st century.

– Indian training programs cover a wide range of areas including counter-insurgency, maritime security, and specialized training in new techniques such as fibre warfare and drone operations.