Rwandan President Paul Kagame and
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
RWANDA-INDIA
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
INDIA’S GATEWAY TO EASTERN AFRICA
By Krishnanand Tripathi*
A
s a part of its massive diplomatic
outreach programme, India has set its
eyes on the vast continent that lies to
its west across the Arabic and Indian oceans. A
continent of 54 countries, Africa is home to over
one billion people and accounts for nearly one-
fi fth of the total land mass of the earth. By any
parameter, Africa is huge and it has everything
that attracts countries like India to its shores.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
India has made sustained efforts to improve its
relations with African countries. This entails
increasing the frequency of high profi le visits
and forging new partnerships with African
10 • RWANDA • 2018
countries. India organised the third India Africa
Forum Summit in Delhi in 2015 which was
attended by all 54 African countries.
In this series, India elevated its bilateral
relations with the East African country Rwanda
to the level of strategic partnership in January
2017, during the fi rst offi cial visit of President
Paul Kagame to India to attend the Vibrant
Gujarat Summit in PM Modi’s home state of
Gujarat.
While announcing its decision, India
recognised Rwanda as a gateway to Eastern
Africa and also recognised the spectacular
economic and political progress made by the