Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit in Delhi: Here’s what to know of past editions and outcomes

The fourth edition of the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from May 28–31, 2026, under the theme "Enduring Partnershi...

What Happened

The fourth edition of the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from May 28–31, 2026, under the theme "Enduring Partnership, Shared Vision."
India's External Affairs Minister stated that IAFS-IV will be "more ambitious, more inclusive, and more future-oriented" than previous editions, emphasising stability in the partnership as critical for navigating global turbulence.
The fourth summit comes 11 years after IAFS-III in 2015 — the longest gap between editions — reflecting a period of limited momentum that India now aims to reverse.
Focus areas for IAFS-IV include digital cooperation, fintech, innovation, health, energy transition, and reaffirming India's support for Africa's enhanced role in global governance (including permanent African representation on a reformed UN Security Council).
The summit brings together India and all 55 African Union member states.

Static Topic Bridges

India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) — History and All Editions

The IAFS is India's institutional framework for multilateral engagement with the African continent, modelled partly on China-Africa Cooperation Forums. It is convened jointly by India and the African Union (AU), and represents India's most comprehensive diplomatic outreach to Africa.

IAFS-I (2008) — New Delhi - Held April 4–8, 2008, in New Delhi. - India and 14 African countries selected by the AU participated. - Key outcomes: India-Africa Framework for Cooperation; commitments on trade, investment, and capacity building; launch of the Pan-Africa e-Network (connectivity for tele-education and telemedicine). - Credit line commitment: USD 5.4 billion over 5 years.

IAFS-II (2011) — Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Held at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. - Expanded participation to 15 African nations. - Focus: Infrastructure, food security, human resources development. - India committed an additional USD 5 billion in lines of credit.

IAFS-III (2015) — New Delhi - The largest edition: all 54 African nations participated (unprecedented). - India committed USD 10 billion in lines of credit and USD 600 million in grants over 5 years. - Grants included USD 100 million for the India-Africa Development Fund and USD 10 million for the India-Africa Health Fund. - Theme: "Partners in Progress: Towards a Dynamic and Transformative Development Agenda." - Delhi Declaration aligned cooperation with African Union Agenda 2063 and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). - India committed to training 50,000 African professionals and offering 50,000 scholarships in five years.

Connection to this news: IAFS-IV builds on this architecture. With no summit held for 11 years, India must reassert its development partnership credentials at a time when China, the EU, the US, and the Gulf states have all held major Africa summits since 2015.

India's Development Diplomacy with Africa

India's engagement with Africa rests on a South-South cooperation model — emphasising technology transfer, capacity building, demand-driven financing, and respect for African sovereignty — in contrast to Western aid conditionality or Chinese infrastructure-focused debt lending.

Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme: Provides free training to African officials, professionals, and military personnel in India. Over 50,000 Africans trained under ITEC since its launch in 1964.
Lines of Credit (LoC) through EXIM Bank: Concessional loans tied to Indian goods, services, and expertise — used for infrastructure, agriculture, power, and health projects.
Pan-Africa e-Network (2007): Provided tele-medicine and tele-education connectivity linking Indian universities and hospitals with African counterparts in 48 countries. Succeeded by e-VidyaBharati and e-AarogyaBharati (e-VBAB) networks.
India-Africa trade stood at approximately USD 100 billion in 2023–24.
India is Africa's third-largest trading partner (after China and the EU).

Connection to this news: IAFS-IV will set the terms of India's next-phase development financing and cooperation commitments, with expectations that India will announce a new credit line package comparable to the 2015 commitments.

African Union Agenda 2063 and India's Alignment

The African Union's Agenda 2063 is a 50-year development blueprint adopted in 2013, outlining Africa's aspiration for a prosperous, integrated, and peaceful continent by 2063. It identifies seven aspirations including a prosperous Africa, an integrated continent, and good governance.

Agenda 2063 flagship projects include the Single African Air Transport Market, the Great Inga Dam project, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA — the world's largest free trade area by number of countries).
India's IAFS partnerships are formally aligned to Agenda 2063, meaning India's credit lines and technical cooperation are intended to serve African-defined developmental priorities.
India also backed the African Union's permanent membership in the G20 — achieved in 2023 under India's G20 Presidency — a landmark diplomatic win for India-Africa relations.

Connection to this news: IAFS-IV will reinforce the Agenda 2063 alignment and India's support for African multilateralism, particularly as the continent seeks to leverage its growing demographic and economic weight in global governance.

Key Facts & Data

IAFS-I: April 2008, New Delhi — 14 African nations; USD 5.4 billion credit line.
IAFS-II: May 2011, Addis Ababa — 15 nations; USD 5 billion credit line.
IAFS-III: October 2015, New Delhi — all 54 African nations; USD 10 billion credit line + USD 600 million grants.
IAFS-IV: May 28–31, 2026, New Delhi — theme: "Enduring Partnership, Shared Vision"; all 55 AU member states.
Gap between IAFS-III and IAFS-IV: 11 years — the longest inter-summit interval.
India-Africa trade (2023–24): approximately USD 100 billion.
India is Africa's third-largest trading partner (after China and the EU).
African Union membership: 55 states (since Morocco rejoined in 2017).
African Union's Agenda 2063 adopted: 2013.
African Union became permanent G20 member: 2023 (under India's G20 Presidency).
ITEC Programme established: 1964; more than 50,000 Africans trained to date.
AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area): Operational since January 2021; largest free trade area by country count.