How Angola-India partnership can become a blueprint for Delhi's Africa strategy

First Post

07-05-2025

While the Angola-India ties had previously been transactional and narrow, the recent visit of President Lourenço has opened doors for a multidimensional partnership built on mutual respect, strategic alignment, and shared developmental goals. read more
Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço's historic state visit to India from May 2 to May 4, 2025, marked a pivotal turning point in the bilateral relations between the two nations. This was the first visit by an Angolan head of state in nearly four decades and coincided with the 40th anniversary of India-Angola diplomatic relations. Despite the cloud cast by the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the visit proceeded without delay, underscoring both nations' resolve to strengthen ties and expand their global engagement.
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India and Angola, though geographically distant and linguistically diverse, are connected by historical threads of post-colonial solidarity, economic complementarity, and growing strategic convergence. Angola, located on the Atlantic coast of Africa, is rich in oil and minerals and forms part of the Lusophone African community. India, on the other hand, has long-standing relations with Angola's neighbours, such as Mozambique and Namibia, but its ties with Angola remained underdeveloped for much of the past two decades, especially during the tenure of former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos. During that period, Chinese engagement in Angola was dominant, leaving limited room for deeper Indo-Angolan interaction.
However, since President Lourenço took office in 2017, Angola has increasingly recognised India's capabilities and potential contributions to its development journey. With Chinese investment in Angola declining and US tariffs beginning to bite, Angola is actively diversifying its international partnerships. India's development-centric foreign policy and its growing economic and technological clout make it a natural partner in this quest. During his visit to Johannesburg to attend the BRICS Summit, Lourenco met PM Modi on July 26, 2018, 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.
Energy and Economic Cooperation
One of the major highlights of the visit was the reaffirmation of the centrality of energy cooperation in India-Angola relations. Angola is India's second-largest source of oil in Africa after Nigeria. Bilateral trade reached $4.2 billion in 2023–24, largely driven by oil exports to India. 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.
Angola benefits from duty-free exports of oil to the US worth $700 million under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Yet it faces 37 per cent new tariffs. China is its largest buyer of oil. As a Least Developed Country (LDC), Angola is entitled to access the Indian market under Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) but lacks exportable items. Agricultural development and greater self-reliance in food security are among its aims.
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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.
Defence and Strategic Engagement
Another cornerstone of the visit was the deepening of defence ties. India approved a $200 million rupee-denominated 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.
In a symbolic and powerful gesture, Angola condemned the Pahalgam terror attacks, aligning itself with India's stance on terrorism and offering solidarity at a crucial moment. This move reflects a deeper understanding of India's security concerns and global worldview, contributing to the growing warmth in their bilateral relationship.
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Technological Collaboration and Capacity Building
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.
Capacity-building initiatives in healthcare, agriculture, and education also featured prominently. Angola expressed interest in India's affordable healthcare solutions, pharmaceutical industry, and vocational training programmes. The two countries are expected to collaborate on skilling, which could significantly benefit Angola's young population.
Environment and Sustainability
The visit saw Angola joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as its 123rd member, signalling a shared commitment to sustainable energy. India extended invitations to Angola to participate in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the Big Cat Alliance, and the Global Biofuels Alliance. These engagements reflect the broadening of bilateral cooperation into climate action and environmental conservation—areas of increasing global importance.
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Diplomatic and Regional Significance
The ceremonial welcome accorded to President Lourenço at Rashtrapati Bhavan, delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and his meeting with President Draupadi Murmu 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. Besides EAM, the President also met health minister Nadda, but a meeting with Raksha Mantri fell through due to scheduling issues in the context of the Pakistan situation.
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. Angola's position as AU Chair adds weight to its call for an early convening of the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV). Angola is expected to lobby within the AU to ensure the summit takes place during its chairmanship, potentially co-chairing the event with India.
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This visit thus has regional and continental implications. Angola is a member of several African regional economic blocs like the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Its support for deeper India-Africa engagement could create new momentum for multilateral cooperation across the continent.
The Road Ahead
President Lourenço's visit to India has ushered in a new era of strategic partnership between the two countries. It highlighted mutual interests, ranging from energy and defence to the digital economy and climate resilience. 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.
India's efforts to re-engage Africa, especially Lusophone Africa, are gaining traction. With Angola's renewed openness to diversifying its partnerships, the bilateral relationship is now poised to enter a new phase—one that reflects the evolving contours of South-South cooperation in a multipolar world. If follow-through measures match the diplomatic optimism, the India-Angola partnership will not only deepen but also emerge as a model for India's broader engagement with Africa.
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The author is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union. He tweets @AmbGurjitSingh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.