Before and Beyond Energy: Contextualising the India–Africa Partnership

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the evolving partnership between India and Africa, focusing on the strategic role of energy security. It argues that while energy is a primary driver of closer ties, the relationship is multi-dimensional, encompassing trade, defence, and capacity building. The authors analyze India's efforts to diversify its energy imports to reduce dependence on West Asia, the competitive yet non-antagonistic dynamics between India and China in Africa, and the necessity of good governance to avoid the 'resource curse'.

• India is strategically diversifying its energy import sources to mitigate the instability of West Asia, which still provides nearly 70% of its oil and over 80% of its natural gas. Africa is a primary target for this diversification, offering oil, coal, natural gas, and uranium.
• India's energy imports from Africa have expanded in both volume and variety. In 2009–10, India imported coal worth $1,314.38 million from South Africa, representing nearly 21% of its total coal imports. Crude oil imports from Africa rose from 17.9% of total imports in 2006–07 to 20.6% in 2009–10, with the number of African oil-supplying countries increasing from seven to 15 in that period.
• India has recently entered the African nuclear energy sector to meet a target of 20,000 megawatts electric by 2020. This includes a 2009 agreement with Namibia to supply uranium oxide, as well as exploration activities in Niger and Madagascar.
• While India and China are often portrayed as being in a zero-sum competition for African resources, the authors argue that the relationship is more nuanced. China possesses superior financial capabilities, allowing it to outbid India for assets—such as a deepwater block in Nigeria and a share in Angola's Block 18—but both countries maintain that their growth is not mutually antagonistic.
• The India–Africa partnership extends beyond energy into 'soft' sectors and strategic security. This includes the Pan-African e-network for tele-medicine and tele-education, the provision of UN peacekeeping troops, and naval cooperation with Indian Ocean Rim countries like Mauritius, Seychelles, and South Africa to safeguard sea lines of communication.
• The 'resource curse' or 'paradox of mineral wealth' poses a risk to energy partnerships in Africa, where high dependence on resources can lead to political instability and conflict. The authors suggest that energy-importing countries should encourage African nations to strengthen governance frameworks to ensure long-term strategic stability.

APA

Sharma, D., & Ganeshan, S. (2011). Before and Beyond Energy: Contextualising the India–Africa Partnership. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Occasional-Paper-77.pdf

Chicago

Sharma, Devika, and Swati Ganeshan. Before and Beyond Energy: Contextualising the India–Africa Partnership. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2011. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Occasional-Paper-77.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sharma |first1=Devika |last2=Ganeshan |first2=Swati |title=Before and Beyond Energy: Contextualising the India–Africa Partnership |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=February 2011 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Occasional-Paper-77.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sharma2011before, author = {Sharma, Devika and Ganeshan, Swati}, title = {{Before and Beyond Energy: Contextualising the India–Africa Partnership}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Occasional-Paper-77.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }