INDIA-AFRICA DEFENCE DIALOGUE

• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will host the Defence Ministers of African Nations during the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) on October 18, 2022 on the sidelines of the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The broad theme of the dialogue is ‘India-Africa: Adopting Strategy for Synergising and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’.
• India and Africa share close and historical ties.
• India’s approach towards Africa is guided by the Kampala Principles enunciated in 2018. India’s engagement rests on African priorities as outlined by Africans themselves.
• The first-ever India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in conjunction with DefExpo on February 06, 2020.
• A Joint Declaration – ‘Lucknow Declaration’ – was adopted at the end of the conclave as an outcome document.
• In continuance of the ‘Lucknow Declaration’ and in consultation with stakeholders, IAAD has been institutionalised to be held once every two years on the sidelines of DefExpo.
• The IADD will explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagement, including in areas like capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter terrorism.
• Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) is the knowledge partner for the India-Africa Defence Dialogue.

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB