China’s and India’s Economic Engagement in Africa: Similar Patterns, Different Dynamics

Abstract

To enhance their economic engagement in Africa, both China and India have institutionalized their interactions with African countries through multilateral leaders’ summits. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) held successively in late 2015 reveal many interesting trends of both countries’ relationships with Africa. Although India has intended to differentiate itself from China in diplomatic rhetoric, both countries actually share a number of vital commonalities in their trade relations with Africa. Following their respective summits, China’s and India’s engagement in the vast continent is likely to demonstrate distinctive styles, as the two countries possess different sets of political and economic resources at their disposal and tend to prioritize contrasting dimensions of economic engagement in Africa. In the long run, however, it is possible to establish a trilateral partnership that combines India’s remarkable “soft power” with China’s economic advantages to generate lasting industrialization and economic progress of Africa.