India's Largest Naval Exercises With Africa Flaunt Expanded Influence

India's largest-ever joint naval exercises in Africa have taken place this week in the western Indian Ocean, as New Delhi seeks to build stronger ties with the continent.

The six-day naval exercises are being co-hosted by Tanzania and include eight other countries which have coastlines on the Indian Ocean, including Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, and South Africa. The exercises will focus on counter-piracy operations as India seeks to position itself as the security partner of choice in the region.

Harsh Pant, director of the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, tells African Business that the naval exercises are partly inspired by India's desire to engage with Africa on regional security issues - but also to advance its broader diplomatic and economic goals on the continent.

"Working with Africa on regional priorities and managing some of the regional challenges in the maritime space is becoming more vital for India," Pant says. "But I think it also conforms with India's wider foreign policy goals, which have focused on the Global South."

India has long sought to leverage its relationships in Africa in order to further a broad range of geopolitical and economic interests. India and African countries are united in their desire to reform global governance structures, for example, with India helping to secure permanent membership for the African Union in the G20 during its presidency of the group in 2023.