According to Diplomat Today, the 20th CII India-Africa Business Conclave gathered over 1,000 delegates from more than 40 African nations. It served as a dynamic platform to bolster trade, investment, and strategic cooperation between India and African countries. Key thematic areas included:
- Sustainable development
- Technology and infrastructure
- Trade expansion
- Green energy cooperation
India highlighted its commitment through a $10 billion concessional credit line, expected to support infrastructure projects across sectors like transport, housing, power, and ports. Additionally, several MoUs were signed to advance energy, manufacturing, and trade corridor initiatives.
There was also notable emphasis on technology and innovation, highlighting strengths in fintech, agritech, healthtech, and education, as well as progress in renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydropower collaborations.
The conclave underscored India’s role in capacity building through educational and vocational programs and strengthened partnerships through direct business-to-business engagements.
CII India-Africa Business Conclave (19th Edition, Aug 19–21, 2024)
The 19th conclave further reinforced India-Africa ties along proactive, outcome-driven lines:
- Trade Aspirations: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal proposed doubling bilateral trade to USD 200 billion by 2030, urging African Least Developed Countries to leverage India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) scheme.
- Key Partnership Sectors: Focused on automobiles, agriculture & agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, transport & logistics, fintech, space economy, sustainable mining, and digital infrastructure. CII spotlighted strategic areas such as clean technologies, maritime security, and the green economy.
- High-Level Perspectives:
- Vice Presidents from Burundi, Gambia, Liberia, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius highlighted opportunities in energy, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, mining, and digital collaboration.
- Concrete Outcomes: The conclave featured over 900 B2B meetings, and saw the signing of an MoU between CII and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) to enhance investment and trade ties across Commonwealth countries, especially in Africa.
Key Takeaways — Across Both Editions
| Theme | Highlights |
| Trade & Investment | India seeks to significantly scale up trade with Africa, exploring diversified sectors—from agriculture and manufacturing to technology. |
| Financial Support | Both editions emphasized concessional credit lines (notably the $10 billion offer in 2025) as catalysts for infrastructure growth. |
| Strategic Sectoral Focus | Across clean energy, health, fintech, agriculture, mining, and logistics, both sides identified priority areas for collaboration. |
| Capacity Building & Innovation | Education, vocational training, startup ecosystems, and digital infrastructure emerged as key enablers of inclusive growth. |
| Geopolitical & Regional Engagement | High-level participation from several African vice presidents illustrated a strong commitment to partnership and mutual growth. |