India-Africa Summit expected to help Lesotho 

Bokang Mofoka 

THE upcoming 4th India-Africa Forum Summit is expected to deepen cooperation between India and Lesotho while opening new opportunities for trade, investment, skills development and cultural exchanges. 

The summit will be held in New Delhi, India, from 28 to 31 May 2026 and is expected to attract participation from all 54 African countries. 

Addressing members of the media in Maseru this week, India’s High Commissioner to Lesotho and South Africa, Prabhat Kumar, said the summit would focus on strengthening development partnerships and cooperation between India and African nations. 

Mr Kumar said the India-Africa Forum Summit, first launched in 2008, had become an important platform for political, economic and cultural engagement between the two regions. 

“This summit is very important because it reflects the excellent relations that India has with African countries,” Mr Kumar said. 

“We are expecting participation from all 54 African countries and we believe this platform will further deepen our cooperation with Africa.” 

He said Lesotho previously participated in the 2015 summit through former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili. 

According to Mr Kumar, this year’s summit is being organised in collaboration with the African Union Commission under the theme “IA SPIRIT: India Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience, and Inclusive Transformation”. 

The summit is also expected to adopt the New Delhi Declaration, which will outline key areas of future cooperation between India and African countries. 

Mr Kumar said India and African countries have already collaborated on numerous development projects across the continent through grants and lines of credit. 

“India and Africa have done many things together, including projects in railways, water supply, irrigation and power,” he said. 

“These projects have contributed significantly towards development in many African countries.” 

A press statement he also released this week further stated that India had completed more than 200 development projects across Africa covering sectors such as irrigation, railway infrastructure, power generation, manufacturing and technology parks. 

The statement also indicated that India had also provided medical assistance, ambulances, cancer treatment equipment and disaster relief support to several African countries, including Lesotho. 

Mr Kumar also highlighted in the statement that India’s continued support for human resource development and skills transfer through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. 

He said many Basotho had benefited from scholarships and technical training opportunities offered in India across different professional fields. 

“Capacity building remains one of our key priorities. Many people from Lesotho have travelled to India under these programmes to acquire skills and knowledge in different professional fields.” 

According to the press release, more than 35 000 Africans have received training under the ITEC programme over the past decade, while over 23 000 African students are currently studying in India. 

He said India had also established several academic and training institutions across Africa, including an Indian Institute of Technology campus in Zanzibar and a National Forensic University in Uganda. 

Mr Kumar said the summit would go beyond political discussions and include activities aimed at strengthening business, academic and cultural ties. 

A pre-summit academic conference will be held on 22 and 23 May under the theme “Shared Futures, Shared Strength: Expanding India-Africa Partnership”, bringing together academics, diplomats, business leaders, media professionals and civil society representatives from both regions. 

Business engagements will also form a major part of the summit programme through high-level business dialogues, sector-focused discussions, exhibitions and business-to-business meetings. 

The India-Africa Business Dialogue and Exhibition will run from May 29 to 31 in New Delhi. 

Mr Kumar revealed that India has invested more than USD80 billion in Africa and currently has more than 250 companies operating across the continent. 

On the economic front, India has emerged as Africa’s third-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade now exceeding USD100 billion. 

“India is committed to growing together with Africa. We want to share whatever we have with African countries because India itself is also considered a developing country,” Mr Kumar said. 

The summit will also feature cultural activities, including an India-Africa Dance and Music Festival and collaborative public art projects involving African and Indian artists. 

Mr Kumar said people-to-people relations remained an important pillar of India-Africa cooperation. 

“The cooperation between Lesotho and India already exists, but we hope it can expand further following this summit,” he said. 

He said India viewed Africa as a strategic partner in global development and believed stronger cooperation can contribute towards economic growth, innovation and sustainable development for both regions. 

INDIAN ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT APPOINTED HONORARY CONSUL 

Meanwhile, Mr Kumar announced the appointment of Biju Abraham Korah as the new Indian Honorary Consul to Lesotho. 

Mr Korah replaces Man Mohan Bakaya, who passed away in 2021. 

Mr Korah has served as President of the Indian Association of Lesotho (IAL) for the past eight years and is widely recognised within both the Indian and Basotho communities for his charitable work and efforts to strengthen relations between India and Lesotho. 

His contributions include organising free medical camps and donation initiatives, among other community support programmes. IAL deputy president, Farooq Patel, will step in as the president of the Association. 

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