The Chinese President Hu Jintao's ongoing tour to Africa may have come as a surprise to several members of the strategic community in India. In Hu's programme, none of the other countries barring South Africa is important in the international political arena. It is important to note that China had hosted the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) barely three months ago where Chinese leaders and ministers of 48 African states agreed upon an Action Plan for 2007-2009. Officially, the visit aims at deepening the friendship and implementing the agreements reached during the Beijing Summit including the eight commitments made by Hu to benefit the African states. However, the underlying objective is to project China's seriousness in engaging Africa at the highest level.

Africa has achieved prominence in the foreign policy of many countries because of the sheer number of countries that constitute it and represented by the African Union. China has accorded great priority to building ties with African countries, reasons for which stretch beyond the rhetoric of ensuring security of small states and upliftment of the developing world. Africa's attractiveness for China is because of its expanding market for exports and investments and the opportunities in the energy sector. Since one third of China's total crude imports come from Africa, it is hardly surprising that the former has pledged to 'turn their (Africa) advantages in energy and resources into development strengths'. Visits at the highest level will only help Chinese companies to consolidate their position in the 'continent of opportunity'. In 2006, Chinese companies reported a turnover of 9.5 billion dollars in their African enterprises. The Sino-African trade, touching almost 56 billion dollars, is slated to cross 100 billion dollars by 2010. This has strengthened the 'economic interdependence' between China and Africa.

Hu's offer of preferential loans, debt exemptions and favorable tariff policies are aimed at impressing upon the African countries that China cares for them. In fact, a day before President Hu Jintao set off on the tour, China announced that it would sign debt relief agreements with 33 African countries by the end of 2007 to honor the pledges it made at the Beijing Summit. In return, Hu Jintao will expect that these small countries will submit to China's leadership in world politics.

China's economic and political engagement in Africa has long-term repercussions for India. Africa is not only becoming a backyard for Chinese goods, its support for China's political principles is also increasing. In future, it may even provide platform for possible Chinese military adventures. China's friendship with many littoral countries of Africa may allow more teeth to the Chinese Navy in Indian Ocean and hamper India's strategic interests not only in the vast oceanic field but also along the African boundary. As the Chinese White Paper on Africa published in January 2006 shows, China has long term plans to promote high-level military exchanges between the two sides and actively promote military-related technological cooperation.

Though India has accorded greater importance to Africa in recent times through New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Paris Initiative on Debt Relief and Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), it pales before the Chinese intelligent mercantilism. Despite a proliferation of recent initiatives by Indian public and private entities, India-Africa bilateral trade is merely one-fourth of China-Africa trade. The political engagement has been with fewer countries in Africa and there are still many that do not have Indian diplomatic representation.

Africa provides the same opportunity to India as it does to China. On the other hand, as a rising power, India needs to befriend Africa more than China. African countries can provide vital support for India's Security Council aspirations considering they are over fifty in number, out of which many already support India's bid for the membership. Some of them have even supported the G4 resolution. Africa also has the potential of buttressing India's rising stature as a major power. India's enormous energy needs, markets and investment opportunities can be sustained for a long time by Africa.

Unlike China, India has certain advantages in Africa. The geographical proximity apart, India has a huge expatriate population in many countries of Africa. Countries like South Africa and Namibia have been India's longstanding friends due to the legacy of non-alignment and India's support to the anti-apartheid movement. However, to consolidate its position in Africa, India needs to do what the Chinese have been doing - institutionalize political summits and bilateral visits at the highest level. This is the lesson for India from Hu Jintao's visit.

Note: The views expressed herein are the personal views of the author.