India forging bonds with Angola - a win win for both countries

Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco's recent state visit to India underscored a mutual desire for stronger economic ties, with India recommitting itself to deepening strategic and economic engagement with the African Union. 

Lourenco’s visit - which took place between May 2 and 4 - was his first ever bilateral State Visit to India and took place 38 years after the last visit by the President of Angola to India, coming as India and Angola are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Both countries have their differences - they are geographically far apart and linguistically diverse but both countries are connected by historical threads of post-colonial solidarity, economic complementarity, and growing strategic convergence. 

Angola is rich in oil and minerals while India has long-standing relations with Angola’s neighbours, such as Mozambique and Namibia and the general consensus is that bilateral relations with Angola remained underdeveloped for much of the past two decades.

Bilateral trade between the two countries has been growing and reached US$ 4.192 billion during 2023/2024 with their development partnership, capacity-building cooperation and defence relationships, expanding in recent years. Both countries also support each other’s candidature at various multilateral forums, including in the United Nations.

In the meeting earlier in May, both countries agreed to expand cooperation in oil exploration, refining, and energy infrastructure development. India also expressed a keen interest in participating in Angola’s diamond sector, critical minerals exploration, and fertiliser production.

During his visit to Johannesburg in July, 2018 to attend the BRICS Summit, Lourenco met India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to enhance trade and investment between the two countries and also to deepen cooperation in sectors like energy, agriculture, food processing and pharmaceuticals.

The visit saw active participation from business leaders, with targeted meetings aimed at enhancing trade, investments, and joint ventures. The Angolan delegation included key ministers who arrived in India ahead of the president to facilitate focused bilateral talks, reflecting the seriousness with which Angola approached the visit.

Another cornerstone of the visit was the deepening of defence ties. India approved a $200 million Dollar line of credit for Angola to support its defence modernisation efforts. Discussions included the supply of military equipment, joint defence production, training for Angolan military personnel, and maintenance of existing Russian platforms. Angola’s openness to Indian defence cooperation is a notable shift, signifying trust and alignment on strategic interests.

President Lourenço also signed a framework agreement for the country’s accession into the International Solar Alliance (ISA) during the visit. The agreement will see the country join the intergovernmental organisation, which seeks to increase the deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for enhancing energy access and security worldwide. 

India also showcased its leadership in digital and technological domains during the visit. Offers to share expertise in digital public infrastructure, space technology, and e-governance were welcomed by the Angolan side. A youth exchange programme was proposed to strengthen people-to-people contacts and foster cultural understanding between the two nations.

The ceremonial welcome accorded to President Lourenço at Rashtrapati Bhavan and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi underscored the high-level nature of this engagement. A business forum brought together investors and stakeholders from both sides, focusing on oil, gas, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure. 

Importantly, Angola currently holds the rotating chair of the African Union (AU). In a significant diplomatic signal, India reinstated the tradition of inviting the AU Chair for a state visit with Angola’s position as AU Chair adding weight to its call for an early convening of the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV). 

While addressing a joint press briefing with President Lourenço, Prime Minister Modi said, "India and the African Union are partners in progress and pillars of the Global South. Under Angola's presidency, the strength of India and the African Union's partnership will strengthen further. In the last 10 years, India has gained speed in cooperation with African nations. Trade has reached almost USD 100 billion. We've improved defence cooperation and maritime security. Last month, India and Africa had their first naval maritime exercise."

Lourenço said, "Both our nations combined can help establish a significantly expanded foundation for business opportunities."

"I have come to India, to convey a message of admiration and friendship that will hold with your country. I have also come to India with the intention of showcasing a new vision for relations between our countries."

Modi, described the visit as “historic” and said it was not only giving new direction to India-Angola relations but also strengthening India-Africa ties. 

“India stood firmly with Angola during its struggle for independence. Today, we continue to build on that foundation of friendship,” Modi said during a joint press statement.

President Lourenço’s visit to India has ushered in a new era of strategic partnership between the two countries, highlighting mutual interests. While the relationship had previously been transactional and narrow, this visit has opened doors for a multidimensional partnership built on mutual respect, strategic alignment and shared developmental goals.

* Dr Govender is an academic and a keen observer of issues related to international relations.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.