India will host the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) on 31 May 2026 in New Delhi in partnership with the African Union Commission, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar while launching the summit's logo, theme and website.
The summit will be held under the theme 'IA SPIRIT: India Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience, and Inclusive Transformation,' capturing the focus on co-creation, joint innovation and long-term development.
In the run-up to the event, a Senior Officials' Meeting will be held on 28 May, followed by the India-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting on 29 May to finalise priority areas of cooperation.
Jaishankar noted that India-Africa ties are rooted in deep civilisational exchanges and strengthened during the struggle against colonialism, with both regions supporting each other's freedom movements. These shared experiences, he said, continue to define contemporary engagement.
He said India's 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision and Africa's Agenda 2063 are complementary, both aiming at inclusive, sustainable and people-centric development.
He also underlined India's consistent backing for a stronger African voice in global governance, calling the African Union's inclusion as a permanent member of the G20 during India's 2023 presidency a 'seminal step' towards amplifying the Global South.
'It will be a message of stability in a turbulent world, of reliability in an uncertain one and of solidarity in difficult times. Together, India and Africa are not just partners in development, we are partners in shaping a better world.'
He said political exchanges have intensified in recent years, with multiple high-level visits, including his own extensive outreach across the African continent.
'India has also expanded its diplomatic footprint in recent years by opening 17 new diplomatic missions across the African continent taking the number of our missions there to 46. This clearly demonstrates our long-term commitment to engaging with every region of the continent.'
In 2024-25, trade surpassed $100 billion and the two sides have set a target of $200 billion by 2030.
Capacity building has been a major thrust area with thousands of African professionals trained under initiatives like the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme and scholarships offered through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
The Indian Institute of Technology in Zanzibar, the National Forensic Sciences University campus in Uganda, the Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Rwanda and several information technology centres across African countries are a reflection of this people-centric approach.
The minister also underlined Africa's participation in global initiatives led by India, including the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Global Biofuels Alliance, highlighting cooperation in climate action, sustainability and resilient infrastructure.
Beyond economics and development, he pointed to the role of the almost three million Indian diaspora across Africa, as an important connection strengthening cultural, social and economic ties.