India-South Africa India-South Africa 2019

India and South Africa have maintained their unique bilateral relationship marked by regular high-level visits and exchanges. Moreover, high regard and respect is given to India for its non-invasive policy which is rare for any superior nation. agro-processing and deep mining equipment. South Africa is home to the largest Indian diaspora in the African continent, with a total strength of over one million, thereby constituting 3 percent of South Africa’s total population. More than a million Indians visit South Africa and over sixty thousand South Africans visit India yearly. Cultural exchange programmes have been organised throughout South Africa by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The SA Minister of Arts & Culture Mr. Pallo Jordan visited India in December 2007 where he inaugurated a major South African art exhibition. Mrs. Ambika Soni, former Minister for Tourism and Culture also visited South Africa in August 2008 and signed the Programme of Cooperation (POC) in Arts and Culture for 2008-2011. A Festival of India in South Africa was jointly organised by Department of Arts and Culture South Africa and High Commission in Pretoria during June-August 2011. This annual ‘Shared Histories’ Festival - The Indian Experience in South Africa” is a celebratory cultural event. The Festival runs from August 16th - 27th in Johannesburg and Durban. On the same lines, a Festival of South Africa in India was organised in February-April 2013 under the POC. Also, the 9th World Hindi Conference was held in September 2012 and took place in Johannesburg. These events reﬂ ect the friendly relations and strategic partnerships that describe bilateral relations. India and South Africa have maintained their unique bilateral relationship marked by regular high-level visits and exchanges. Moreover, high regard and respect is given to India for its non- invasive policy which is rare for any superior nation. There has been a long-standing history of coordination between India and South Africa, with their views and efforts in institutions of global governance, with the aim of gaining greater autonomy and ensuring that each other’s agenda is prioritised. BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa): In 2010, the previously known alliance of BRIC, became BRICS with the introduction of South Africa. Both countries are 16 • India-South Africa • 2019 great benefactors of the BRICS alliance’s valuable contribution in reforming the global ﬁ nancial and economic architecture. During the sixth BRICS summit in Fortaleza in 2014, a decision was taken to establish the New Development Bank (NDB), with the aim to mobilise resources for development project in BRICS, emerging economies, and developing countries. IBSA (India, Brazil, and South Africa): Established in 2003, the IBSA Dialogue Forum brings together three large democracies and major economies from three diﬀ erent continents facing similar developmental challenges and representing three developing, pluralistic, multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, and multi-religious nations. G20: The G20 is acknowledged by both nations as the premier forum for coordination of international ﬁ nancial and economic matters. G20 encourages the global-community to employ monetary, ﬁ scal, and structural reforms to jump- start the global economy. With India’s status as a rising world power and its increasing dependence on energy resources, a new dimension in India-South Africa relations has emerged where bilateral cooperation becomes important for development. South Africa’s geopolitical importance has increased in the strategic positioning of major world powers. In summary, while this account of the India- South Africa relations is directed towards the prevalence of the State, there is yet room for future studies in the direction of cultural assimilation. A publication in the African Quarterly citing an Indian and South African author in 1999, shows evidence, that India is interested in the Indian-South African relationship. With a Sikh temple now in Sandton, Indian South Africans now have more access to India’s culture and arts. Popular Indian programmes are even more accessible as Sony and NDTV programs are available on DSTV. The presence of India’s Tata Motor Company is felt on the South African highways; and so the inﬂ uences continue.  * The author is Researcher, Security & Policy Advisor

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