India-Africa Forum Summit IV in May 2026: Towards Strengthening Strategic, Economic and Cultural Partnership with Algeria at the Core
The Embassy of India in Algeria has underscored the strategic significance of the upcoming India-Africa Forum Summit, scheduled to take place in New Delhi from 28 to 31 May 2026, presenting it as a pivotal platform to advance India-Africa relations across political, economic and cultural dimensions.
A briefing session outlining key aspects of the fourth edition of the summit was held on 23 April 2026 at the embassy’s premises in Algiers, bringing together Algerian business leaders, diplomats representing African nations, members of chambers of commerce, media professionals, social media influencers, cultural figures, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of Indian companies participating in the Maghreb Pharma Expo.
During the session, India’s Ambassador to Algeria, Dr. Swati Vijay Kulkarni, presented an overview of the high-level government-to-government meetings scheduled for 28–31 May in New Delhi, along with the current state of India-Africa relations. Additional briefings on the business and cultural segments were delivered respectively by Col. Ashish Chopra and B.C. Tiwari, while the event also featured Indian musical performances and video screenings highlighting various dimensions of India-Africa and India-Algeria relations.
Speaking during the presentation meeting, the Indian envoy highlighted the depth and quality of Algerian-Indian relations, pointing to tangible progress across multiple sectors and underscoring Algeria’s central role within the broader Africa-India partnership.
“Algeria is for us an essential partner, both within the framework of the African Union and the Global South. It constitutes a gateway to Africa and Europe,” she said, emphasising the country’s strategic positioning in India’s continental engagement.
The ambassador also encouraged Indian economic operators to invest in Algeria and forge robust partnerships with local companies, citing a favourable business climate. She noted that of the 650 pharmaceutical production units operating across Africa, 250 are based in Algeria, reflecting the country’s industrial weight in the sector.
Institutionalised in 2008 as a structured mechanism to advance engagement between India and African countries, the summit returns following its last edition in 2015, marking a renewed phase of high-level interaction after a hiatus of more than a decade. The fourth edition, held under the theme “IA SPIRIT: India-Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience and Inclusive Transformation,” is expected to conclude with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, setting out key axes of future cooperation.
Kulkarni expressed India’s expectation of strong African participation, particularly from Algeria, stressing that India-Africa relations are anchored in a long-standing historical bond characterised by solidarity, shared aspirations and converging interests.
The political segment of the summit will unfold in three stages: senior officials’ meetings on 28 May, foreign ministers’ consultations on 29 May, and a summit of heads of state and government on 31 May. India has called for robust Algerian participation across all segments, describing the country as a key pillar of its engagement in Africa and a strategic bridge between the African continent and Europe.
New Delhi frames its partnership with Africa within a broader strategic vision aligned with Agenda 2063 and India’s long-term development roadmap, Viksit Bharat 2047. This approach is further guided by policy principles articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on capacity-building, local value creation, open markets, technology transfer, and cooperation in key sectors such as education, agriculture and healthcare, alongside an emphasis on people-centric development.
On the economic front, India has consolidated its position as Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $100bn and cumulative investments surpassing $80bn. This engagement has been reinforced through multilateral initiatives, including India’s role during its G20 presidency in securing permanent membership for the African Union in the grouping.
The business dimension of the summit will include high-level plenary sessions, sector-focused discussions, business-to-business meetings and exhibitions. A dedicated India-Africa Business Dialogue and exhibition will take place from 29 to 31 May in New Delhi, organised by leading industry bodies such as the Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with Algerian chambers of commerce invited to participate.
India’s economic engagement across Africa extends to infrastructure and development cooperation, with 206 projects completed in 43 countries, spanning irrigation, power generation, manufacturing, technology parks and railway infrastructure. Additional contributions include medical assistance, the provision of equipment such as ambulances and cancer treatment machines, as well as disaster relief operations in countries including Zambia, Malawi, Kenya and Mozambique. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India supplied medical aid to 32 African nations, with African countries among the main beneficiaries of the “Vaccine Maitri” initiative.
Defence cooperation has also expanded, with India training military personnel from several African countries and supporting the establishment of defence institutions in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Tanzania. In the space sector, India has provided technological applications including weather forecasting systems, early warning mechanisms and precision agriculture tools.
The summit’s cultural dimension will be led by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, which is organising a series of events throughout May. These include an India-Africa Dance and Music Festival on 23 May in New Delhi, preceded by a joint artistic workshop from 18 to 23 May involving African and Indian performers. A parallel initiative, the India-Africa Artists Partnership for Public Art, will focus on collaborative mural projects during the first week of May.
India also emphasises expanding educational ties, noting that more than 35,000 Africans—including 480 Algerians—have received training under the ITEC programme over the past decade, while over 23,000 African students are currently studying in India. Institutional cooperation includes the establishment of academic and technical centres such as the Indian Institute of Technology in Zanzibar and specialised universities in Uganda and Rwanda, alongside digital infrastructure initiatives and expanded e-visa facilities for 33 African countries.
With a diaspora of approximately 3.5 million people of Indian origin across Africa, New Delhi highlights the role of people-to-people connections as a cornerstone of the partnership, reinforced by cultural exchanges and the widespread popularity of Indian cinema across the continent.
The summit is expected to consolidate a comprehensive framework for future engagement, with Algeria positioned as a central partner in advancing India’s Africa strategy across political, economic and cultural domains.
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